Then There Was This Song
by bookwrangler
Summary: FlackOC AU Because every life should have a soundtrack. This is the second in a series. See also, "It started with a game."
1. Intro

**Then There Was This Song**

Anyone you know belongs to those you know. They make the money off the characters. Not me. I'm just taking them for a ride. (And get your minds out of the gutter.) I own the rest including the dead bodies. I may pull from any storyline from any season (or I may just make it up as I go along), this is your warning. If I actually kill anyone important, I'll try and remember to let you know ahead of time.

I'm a on the newer side to CSI: NY, so if I mess things up terribly, please let me know.

This is a sequel to "It Started With a Game." You should probably go back and read that one first.

As always, please R&R.


	2. You might think I'm delirious

A/N: This is kind of songfic. I have a song in mind, but it may or may not actually be in the story. And I may or may not tell you what it is. If you really want to know, just ask.

* * *

Tess groaned as a knock sounded on the door. She burrowed deeper under the blanket. _Maybe if she just pretended she wasn't home._ Another knock came. She sighed, crawled out from under the blanket and went to the door. She looked through the peephole and then opened it without taking off the chain.

"I'm still feeling lousy," she croaked.

Don smiled at her through the crack. "Figured as much." He held up the bag in his hand. "I brought ya some soup."

"Didn't have…"

"I know. I felt bad you were so sick. Ya looked miserable. I mean ya even ducked out before the end of the game."

Tess looked at the floor. "Didn't miss much."

He gave her a sympathetic look. "I know, Sweetheart. There's always next year. Can I come in?"

"I don't want you to get sick."

Don smiled again, his blue eyes dancing. "Little late for that. Come on, Tess. I came all the way up here."

"No fair." Tess shook her head. "No fair playing the guilt card." She pushed the door closed briefly and undid the latch. She opened the door and carefully looked Don over. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the door frame. She shook her head slightly. "You came straight from shift."

Don looked at her a little worried. "Ya ain't gonna fall over are ya?"

Tess smiled slightly and shook her head. She opened her eyes and straightened up. "I'm not that weak. I won't test your reflexes today. Come on in." She stepped out of his way. Don came in and Tess shut the door.

"Ya look…"

"Don't even. I _know_ how bad I look."

Don set the bag he brought on the floor and tugged at Tess' sleeve. "That's not what I meant. Come here." Tess protested a little as he tugged her into his arms. "I'm already doomed, Tess." He tilted her head up and smiled at her. "I think I kissed ya at least a couple of times on Friday night. Too late to save me from infection."

Tess gave him a small smile back. "Only you would flirt with a sick woman." Don chuckled a little. "Thank you for coming."

"Not a big deal." Tess started to open her mouth. "Just don't, Tess. " He kissed her forehead. "Just go with it, okay?" He let her go and picked the bag up again. "Let's heat this up. I'm starved."

Tess smiled and shook her head. "You're always starved." She took the bag from his hand and headed to the kitchen.

---------------

The game droned on the TV. Tess curled against Don vaguely watching it. Don tried to stay relaxed, tried not to get wrapped up in the game, so Tess could rest. It was a losing battle.

"Geeze! Even a blind drunk coulda seen his foot was over the line." Tess stirred and sat up. Don glanced at her. Her eyes were bleary and unfocused. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart."

Tess smiled as his eyes drifted right back to the TV. "It's okay. I'm just going to turn the other way." She curled up again with her head on the opposite arm of the couch. He reached under the blanket and lightly massaged her foot. A few minutes later a commercial came on. Don glanced over at Tess and saw she was sound asleep. He debated heading home, calculating how much more of the football game he'd miss. He didn't really want to go home. Don got up, went to the fridge and rummaged around for a beer. He opened it and sat back down on the end of couch. Tess didn't move.

------------

The game finished and 60 Minutes started. Don looked over at Tess. Her head was bent at an uncomfortable angle. He shook his head and got up. Don bent and hooked his arms under Tess. He had started to pick her up when she stirred.

"Don't. Gonna hurt yourself," she protested still half asleep.

Don stopped. "Ya just looked a little…Well, that can't be good for your neck." He shifted. "And ya can't be that heavy."

"You'd be surprised." Don flashed her a doubtful look. Tess just shook her head resignedly. "Fine, be the hero. Just don't come crying to me when you put your back out." Don flexed and lifted her. Tess did her best to be a dead weight. He shifted and pretended to drop her. Tess' eyes snapped open and her arms gripped his neck. She caught the sparkle in his eyes and lightly whacked him on the shoulder. "You did that on purpose."

"Ya claimed you were heavy." He bounced her a little in his arms.

"I'm not delusional. I know I'm not light." Tess shifted a little. "I am on the taller side and I'm not some half starved model."

"Yer not exactly the fat lady either." Don bounced her again. "Jus' about right."

Tess tried to right herself. "I'm awake now. You can set me down." Don just stood there grinning at her. "Put me down, Don. Now." She pushed against his chest. Don suddenly let go and Tess bounced on the couch with a squeal. Tess shot him a dirty look as he stood there and grinned with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Ya did say 'Now.'"

"You get your jollies picking on sick people? You know, I could call Bette. She's only four floors down and I'll bet she'd be willing to come up here and kick your ass for me. I'm to sick to do it myself after all."

Don grinned at her and held up his hands. "Please don't call Bette. I'll behave. I promise." The apartment door opened and Bette came in. Tess burst out laughing. Bette just shook her head.

"Somebody's feeling better. She invited company over."

Don shook his head. "I invited myself."

Bette cocked her head. "Really?"

"Don brought me soup."

Bette's eyebrows rose. "Really?" She gave an odd smile and rocked her head. "You didn't seem the type. Good for you." She headed for the kitchen. "I was just looking for some lemon juice. I'll be gone again."

"But I promised Don you would beat him up for picking on me."

Bette pulled her head out of the fridge and glowered at Don. "Were you pickin' on my girl? She's sick and weak. Leave her be." She went back to her search. Don smirked at Tess.

"Oh, thanks for your help," moaned Tess. "Your support is overwhelming."

"It's not that, Tess," came the voice from inside the fridge. "I just think that you can take him down even being sick and weak."

"Ouch. That hurt," protested Don.

"You've never seen Tess in a fight," replied Bette. "Ah-ha. Got it." Bette appeared out of the fridge and waved the bottle at them. "Catch you later. Don't keep her up all night. She's sick and she's got school tomorrow."

"Yes, ma'am."

Bette waved the bottle of lemon juice at Don. "Don't mock me. I will take you out if you make me. You be nice to Tess here. Don't make me have to come up and take care of business."

"I wouldn't want you to have to do that." Don worked hard at suppressing a grin.

"Don't you go pulling that 'cute guy' routine on me. It might work with Tess here, but I've got my own to deal with. I'm immune to you. Later, Tess." Bette ducked out the door.

Tess stood up. "She sure told you."

"Does yer roommate ever stay here?"

Tess glanced at the door. "Bette? Not at the moment. Peter's roommate is out with a touring company. Um. Movin' Out, I think. Or maybe Momma Mia. One of those ones that string a bunch of songs together." Tess shrugged. "She keeps paying rent and I don't have to scope out a new roommate. It works just fine." She glanced at the TV. "You aren't really watching 60 minutes, are you?"

"No. You watchin' it?"

Tess rolled her eyes. "No, I was busy getting manhandled. I should sue for police brutality."

"Ya wouldn't do that to me would ya?" Don tugged Tess into his arms. She wrapped hers around his waist. He gave her a light kiss.

"You're taking your life into your hands. I'm contagious, remember?"

"I'll take my chances." He kissed her again.

"I look hideous."

"Ya don't look so bad."

"You need glasses."

"No. I don't." Don tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I think you look just fine, Tess."

Tess smiled and shook her head. "I think you're crazy, but thank you. I would have thought you would have been heading home before the next game started."

"Trying ta get rid of me?"

"No."

"Ya have a TV, right?"

"Yes."

"Ya have beer in the fridge, right?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm good."

Tess frowned. "Wouldn't you rather be watching the game with Danny or somebody?"

"Ya keep tryin' ta get rid of me. Ya got a hot date or somthin'? Maybe with Flower Guy?"

"Still hasn't come forward." Tess leaned back and looked up at Don. "Think I _should_ have a hot date with Flower Guy?" Tess tried not to smile as a shadow passed over Don's face.

"No." He practically growled. Tess raised her eyebrows.

"Hmm. A little possessive, aren't you? You've know me a whole four weeks." Don took her arms from around his neck and took a step back.

"Do ya _want_ a date with Flower guy?" His eyes shot lightening at her. A perverse little part of Tess wanted to see how far she could push him. Another part was thrilled that he was ticked she had gotten flowers from someone that wasn't him. A third part was a little mad that he was ticked that she had gotten flowers from someone that wasn't him. A fourth part was whacking the third part in the head with a 2x4. All of the parts were making her head hurt. Tess looked at the floor and rubbed her temples. She looked back at Don. She stepped up close to him.

Tess tapped him in the chest. "_You_ are real, standing right here in front of me. _You_ worried that I wasn't feeling well. _You_ brought me soup. Flower Guy, whoever he is, didn't even have the guts to sign his name. Got it?" Tess tapped Don in the chest twice more.

Don grinned down at Tess. "Yeah, I think I got it."

Tess smiled and nodded. "Good. Now, if you must stay and if you must watch football, I believe there's another game starting."

"Ya don't like football?"

Tess shook her head apologetically. "Sorry, but not really."

"So much for thinking yer perfect."

"I never claimed to be. You're just crazy if you thought it." She gave him a quick kiss and sat down on the couch. "Beer's in the fridge."

Don shook his head. "Won't even get a guy a beer."

"I'm sick, remember?"

"Uh-huh. Convenient this sickness." Don went to the fridge, grabbed a beer and sat down next to Tess. Tess flipped the channel to the next game and dug out her knitting. Don looked over at her and raised his eyebrows. "Ya knit?"

"Yes, I knit. I don't like sitting completely still. Some people bounce around and yell at the TV. I knit. Got a problem with that?" She waved a thin needle at him.

Don held up his hands. "No. Ya might hurt me with yer pointy sticks."

"You'd better believe it." Tess started knitting little circles. Don kept stealing glances over at her.

"What are ya workin' on?"

"A sock."

"Can't ya just buy a sock?"

"Yes, but it's not the same."

"If ya say so. Ya gonna knit me somethin'?"

Tess smiled. "Not a chance. You never knit something for a guy not related to you by blood or marriage. Not unless you want him to disappear."

"And a few minutes ago you were tryin' ta run me out the door."

Tess waved a needle at Don again. "Do not tease the lady with the point sticks. Watch your football game."

Don crooked a finger at her. "Come over here."

"Why?"

"Cuz I'm feelin' chilled."

Tess sighed and slid over next to him. Don wrapped an arm over her shoulders and Tess snuggled in close. "If you're getting sick, don't blame me. I tried to warn you."

"I don't hold ya responsible." He kissed the top of her head.

"You just remember that when you're gibbering in delirium from the fever." Don just chuckled and concentrated on the game.

---------------


	3. Even heroes have the right to dream

A/N: See the intro for the standard stuff. Please R&R. What an epi tonight. Lots of nice moments. Anyway, just a little something. I won't be getting much done over the weekend. Off to Chicago for the holiday and I'll be w/o a computer until late Sunday night.

Little Corinthian: I wouldn't expect you to throw over Flack. Of course you'd like him best. Hallucinating: There won't be much football, don't worry. RoadRunner: Yes, the bots are evil. Thank you. Story: Of course there would be a sequel. I couldn't just leave things there. Meadow: Hmm. Lived the 80s or just living in the Retro age? Thanks for picking up on the song. Lane: Sorry. Still gotta wait on the flowers. Those are really bugging you aren't they? I hope you all enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving for those indulging.

* * *

Don paid the vendor for the dog, chips and soda and headed down the street. Danny had found a spot for them to perch and stuff down lunch. Don set his food on the USAToday box, now table. He took a big bite out of his hot dog. A melody started to ring from his waist. Don kept working on his lunch. Danny looked over his glasses at his friend. Don paid no attention to the ring. Danny stopped chewing and jerked his head.

"Hey, Superman." Danny nodded at Don again. "I think yer phone's ringin'."

Don frowned at him and looked down at the phone. He set the dog down, plucked the phone off his belt and flipped it open. "Okay, when did ya get ta my phone?" Don asked, very disgruntled. Danny laughed.

"You were in the shower." He could hear the smile in her voice. "How's your hot dog?"

"Howdya know I was havin' a dog?" Don frowned and looked around expecting Tess to be standing somewhere near by.

"Because it's lunchtime. You answered the phone, which was set to ring, which means you weren't out on a call. And I heard Danny laughing. Does he _know_ how loud he is?"

"I don't think so. I'd say he's harda hearin' but…" Don glanced at Danny. Danny smirked at him. Don glowered and turned his back. "Still where does that spell hot dog?"

"Simple deduction. You should be familiar with that."

"Very funny. Yer such a comedian. So whydya mess with my phone?"

"Everyone needs a theme song."

Don dipped his head and shook it. "Ya know Danny's 'bout ready to bust his gut here. I ain't gonna live this down," he said softly.

"I was hoping."

Don shook his head again. "So, ya did it on purpose. That's low, Tess."

Tess laughed. "Just keeping you on your toes. Have you ever actually listened to the words?"

Don looked up at the sky. "Can't say I have."

"Well, I'll sing it for you next time I see you."

Don smiled a little. "Ya do that. Still doesn't get ya off the hook."

"You'll live."

"Paybacks, Tess," he warned. "Talk ta ya later."

"Later, then. Enjoy your hot dog. Don't get mustard on your tie." Tess hung up. Don shook his head and clipped his phone back to his belt. He glanced at Danny who was still grinning at him and shook his head again.

"So did Tiger Girl call for anything in particular?"

"Jus' to ring the phone."

"Ah, this was a set up."

"Yeah."

"She's good." Danny ate some more of his hot dog. "Ya serious about Tiger Girl?"

"Whatdaya mean by serious?"

"I mean serious. Ya datin' anyone else?"

"Not really."

"Ya know, she's the first girl you've really gone out with since…"

"Do ya have a point?" Don set his dog down. He could feel the anger starting to grow.

Danny shrugged. "I jus' don't want ya to get in too deep too quick."

Don crossed his arms over his chest. "Thanks for havin' my back, Messer, but I think I know what I'm gettin' into. I've been at this a while." His blue eyes rained fire down on his friend.

"Mmm. Hmm," mumbled Danny doubtfully around a mouthful of hot dog. He ignored Don's evil eye and took a swig of soda.

"Hey, like you've been doin' so hot." Don jerked his head at Danny. "Has Monroe shot ya down yet today?"

Danny slammed down his soda. "We ain't talkin' 'bout me and Montana."

Don looked down Danny. He raised his eyebrows, deciding to dig a little deeper. "That's 'cuz all there is is talk." Danny flashed him an acidic look. Don shook his head. "Listen, I like hangin' around with Tess. It's better than watchin' ya moon."

"Jus' don't come crawlin' ta me when it all goes south."

Don rolled his eyes. "Whatever." The guys went back to eating silently.

Danny looked over at Don. "She's smart."

"Who?"

"Tiger Girl."

"Tess, her name is Tess."

Danny rolled his eyes. "I know that. You've said it often enough. Anyway, she's smart."

"I know. So's Monroe."

"Lindsay."

"Ya never call her Lindsay."

Danny ducked his head. "Sometimes." Danny smiled wistfully. "And yeah, she's smart too." He looked over at Don. "So how we'd end up with the smart girls?"

"You ain't ended up with nobody." Don punctuated his sentence by waving his soda can at Danny.

Danny flashed Don an angry look. "Fine. How _I_ end up likin' the smart girl? And _you_ gettin' all serious 'bout the smart girl?" he clarified.

Don grinned at his friend. "Ya know, we're soundin' like a couple of girls."

Danny nodded, chewed thoughtfully and swallowed. "Pathetic, ain't it?"

"Shoulda had a couple of beers first at least." The radio at Don's waist crackled. He picked it up and hit the button. "I'm rollin'," he answered. Don looked back at Danny and gathered his lunch debris. "Duty calls."

"Always does." Danny crumpled the wrapper from his hot dog and shot it directly into the trash can. "I am so gonna kick your ass on the court."

Don grinned. "Ya jus' keep dreamin', Messer." He dumped his trash in the can and headed for his car.

------------

Don got back to his desk and started working on his reports. He stopped a couple of times, looked at the computer on the edge of his desk. Finally, shaking his head, he turned, powered it up and went to Google. Don punched in his search and waited. He looked around everyone else in the bullpen was going about their own business. He clicked the mouse a couple of more times and waited for the page to load. Don kept looking around; making sure no one was watching him. The screen he was looking for popped up and he leaned in to read it. He finished reading the lyrics through, smiled and shook his head. He cleared the page, logged off and went back to his reports again. He stopped shook his head again. Don pulled his phone off his belt and dialed.

"Hey. What's up?" She was smiling. He could hear it in her voice. He smiled and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Thanks," he said.

"For what?"

"I googled the song."

"You googled the song?"

"The ringtone ya put on my phone. I looked up the lyrics."

"Did you?"

"Yeah. Contrary to popular belief we do have computers at the station."

"And you know how to use one."

"Yeah. Anyway, thanks, Tess."

"Your welcome."

"I'd ask ya out for dinner, but I'm gonna be tied up here for a while."

"That's okay. You just go on keeping the city safe. I'll catch you when I can. I've got boring stuff of my own to do anyhow."

"I'll catch ya later, Tess."

"Take care, Don." Don flipped his phone shut and went back to his reports, humming a little to himself.

------------------


	4. Walkin' around in your old sweaters

A/N: See the intro for the standard stuff. Here's a little warm-up before watching tonight's epi or a little dessert for after. Not that it has anything to do with tonight's epi. Hope you enjoy.

Meadow: Thanks. Wolvie: It just clicked. RoadRunner: Did I say gf? Hmm. Bad bunny. One question will be answered. Hallucinating: That's the thing about paybacks. Never know what they are or when they're coming. LittleCornithian: Glad you think so. RS: Glad you're enjoying the game. I'll have to come up with harder lyrics.

* * *

"Take care, Don."

Tess snapped her phone shut as she bounced down the steps of Hunter. _Just grab a quick cup of real coffee and back to practice. _She grinned to herself, still thinking of her phone call.

"Somebody sure looks chipper for being so sick this weekend." Tess' head shot up and she stopped dead. There was a sandy haired man leaning on the light post. He uncrossed his arms and walked up to Tess. With her still on a step, she was actually taller than him. Tess took a deep breath.

"Alex."

"You seem surprised to see me."

Tess grimaced at him. She ducked her head and tugged on her braid. "Well, let's see. That may be because I haven't seen or heard from you since you transferred to St. Louis to 'find yourself.'" Tess made little quote marks with her fingers around the last two words. She tapped her lips with a single finger. "That would be, hm, over five months ago. Right after you broke up with me. After two and a half years."

Alex stepped closer. Tess stepped away. "I got a promotion."

Tess raised her eyebrows and shook her head. "So?"

"I'm back here in New York."

"And that's supposed to mean what?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Did you get your flowers?"

Tess closed her eyes and sighed heavily. Her arms fell to her sides. "You sent them. I should have known."

Alex looked a little taken aback. "Well, yes."

Tess set her chin at a stubborn angle. She planted her fists on her hips. "Yes, why? Why would anything in the past five plus months give me any reason to think you'd send me flowers?" Tess shook her head and put up her hands. "I am not doing this right now. I was just supposed to run out for a coffee and then get right back to practice."

"Still jumping to Misha's call?"

"Still working with Misha, yes. And yes he's still head coach. He's good."

"He still treats you like an errand girl."

"The coffee is for me. And he does not. And you have no right. God, you breeze back here, send me flowers and think you can have an opinion on my life?" Tess turned and started up the steps. "Five months, Alex. You gave up that right over five months ago," she called over her shoulder.

Alex took a step up. "When do you get done with practice? Let me take you to dinner."

Tess stopped on the top step. She didn't turn around. "I don't think that's such a good idea, Alex."

"Come on, Tess. Just a simple dinner out. Just for old times."

Tess turned at that. "I am not living old times with you, Alex. I haven't been sitting in neutral for five months. I've gone on."

"Just dinner." Alex looked up with her. Tess closed her eyes. She didn't want to see his green ones pleading with her. She wished she could be as cold as he was when she had done the pleading.

"Just dinner. Just this time. Just because we did have two and a half years. Nothing more, Alex."

"Nothing more," he agreed. He smiled. "What time?"

"I'll meet you out here at quarter to six." Tess went into the school. _This is a stupid idea_, she chided herself.

------------

Tess bent to pick up one last foil and stow it in the equipment bag. She straightened and rubbed the small of her back. She bent again to pick up the bag.

"Hey, lemme get that for ya." Tess jumped. She looked and saw Don heading across the cafeteria. He was dressed in black jeans, a pale grey shirt and a black leather jacket. Tess' heart jumped. He was smiling, blue eyes sparkling. _No, not now._ Tess felt the walls starting to close in.

"This day just keeps getting better and better," she mumbled to herself.

Don stopped in front of her and frowned. He tilted her chin up. "Ya don't look so happy ta see me."

Tess sighed heavily. "I thought you were wrapped up in something."

"I got finished. I thought we could grab a bite." Tess looked down at the tips of his shoes. "Tess, what's up?"

"I'm not free." She looked up at Don and back down at the ground.

"I didn't know ya had plans." He took a step back. "I shouldn't have just assumed. I guess I'll jus'…" He spun around and started to walk away. "It's not like we're serious or anything. I don't have…"

Tess let the equipment bag slip off her shoulder. It landed with a clatter. "Yeah. Because I sleep with every guy I pick up in a bar." Don stopped dead. He looked around. No one else was in the room. He turned back and looked at Tess. Her arms were crossed over her chest.

"That's not what I said."

"You didn't have to," she fought to keep the tremor out of her voice. Her chin was tilted up and her jaw was clenched.

"I'm not the one who's lookin' guilty," countered Don. He fought to control his temper_. Why did the thought that someone else might be going out with Tess get him so worked up? Danny warned ya about too fast too deep, Moron. He missed the too late part, you idiot._

"No, 'innocent until proven' with you, is there?"

"Ya ain't doin' well provin' that."

Tess picked up the bag again. "I don't have time for this."

"Neither do I."

Tess turned and started to walk away. "Fine, then," she called over her shoulder.

"Fine," he mumbled and left.

---------------

Tess rested her head on her hand and picked at her food with the other. Alex took a bite of his dinner and chewed, watching her thoughtfully.

"Is there anybody home? I know you don't really want to be here, but you could at least make an effort at pretending."

Tess looked up. "No. I really can't." She went back to picking at her food. "I should have just stood you up."

Alex paused and raised his eyebrows at her. "Pardon?"

Tess glared at him. "When the guy I am seeing came by, I should have gone with him and stood you up."

Alex paused mid-bite. "You're seeing someone." It was much more a statement than a question.

Tess rolled her eyes. "I told you, Alex. I haven't spent the last five months holed up in my apartment crying over love letters from you. Yes, I've been seeing someone."

"Seriously?"

"What do you mean by 'seriously?' 'Seriously, I'm seeing someone' or 'Am I seeing someone seriously?'"

"Either. Both," shrugged Alex.

"I am seeing someone. I don't know if it's serious."

Alex gave a short bark of laughter. "It's serious, Tess. Otherwise, you wouldn't be beating yourself up over being here."

Tess shook her head. "We've only been going out for about a month."

Alex gave Tess a wistful smile. "Tess, I was with you for two and a half years. I think I can recognize the signs." Alex set down his fork. He focused his attention completely on Tess. "I did come back to New York hoping to pick up from where we left off. I meant the card. I did miss you."

"Yeah, but you did leave too."

"I know. Looks like something I'm going to keep on regretting." He nodded his head in Tess' direction. "Go on. Track down your guy. Just let him know how lucky he is."

Tess smiled. "I'll do that." She reached out and gently touched Alex's hand. "I guess you did find yourself out in St. Louis."

Alex gave her a sad smile. "Too bad I was a little too late. Take care of yourself, Tess."

"You know I will. Bye, Alex." Tess pushed her chair away from the table. She walked over to Alex and kissed his cheek.

"See you, Tess." Tess gave a small wave and quickly left the restaurant.

---------

Don sat at the bar scowling at his beer bottle lost in thought. Danny came up and slapped him on the back.

"Hey! Didn't think I'd find ya here."

"Neither did I."

Danny frowned at him. "What gives? Couple of hours ago ya breezed outta the station about three feet off the ground. Who ran over yer puppy?"

Don's eyes barely flicked in Danny's direction. "Ya told me not ta talk about it." Danny frowned in confusion. He ordered a beer and took a couple of pulls. Suddenly he nodded.

"Tiger Girl had a date. And it wasn't with you."

"Yeah. And we fought about it."

"You've been busy. Tracked down Tiger Girl, fought with her and got back here to drown yer sorrows."

"It was a short fight," mumbled Don.

"I'll bet not pretty though."

"She thinks I called her a…" Don couldn't finish the sentence. He took a long pull on his beer. The looked over at Danny. Danny shook his head. It didn't take someone who knew Don well to read what was going through his mind. "She's not, ya know. Even if my ma hadn't taught me better, I wouldn't ever call her that." Danny smirked and shook his head again. "Ya think this is funny?"

"No, man. Yer just in so deep." Danny saluted Don with his bottle. "Welcome to the club. Misery loves company, Donny." They sat there drinking their beers staring into space.

"I'm an idiot," Don burst out.

"Yer gittin' no argument from me."

"Thanks buddy." Don waved for another beer. He took a drink. "Maybe I should go find her."

"And ya plan on doin' that how?"

"I dunno. I need to tell Tess I'm sorry."

"Buy her flowers."

Don groaned and dropped his head, shaking it. "No. Definitely not."

"Tiger Girl doesn't like flowers?"

Don sniffed and shook his head again. He took a swig of beer. "Flowers started this whole mess."

"Back up. What are ya talkin' 'bout?"

"Someone sent Tess flowers on Friday."

"Someone meaning not you."

"Boy, are you quick. Yeah. Not me."

"Then whatdaya mean 'someone?' Didn't the guy sign his name?"

"No. Bet that's who she's out with though." Danny just shook his head.

They sat drinking some more. Don ordered another beer and one for Danny too. Danny shook his head, but didn't stop him. _If he wanted to get shitfaced._ Danny looked up in the mirror over the bar. He elbowed Don.

"Yer fight wasn't the only thing that was short." Don looked at Danny like he had grown a third head. He looked into the mirror and saw Tess searching the room for him. "Ya gonna leave her lookin' or ya gonna go talk ta her?"

"I don't think I can get over there." Danny frowned at him.

"How many of those things did ya have?"

Don took another swig of beer. "I started with somethin' beside beer."

Danny resisted the urge to hit him upside the head. "I don't believe you." He slid off his stool and went over to Tess. She looked at his feet as he came to a stop in front of her. "So, ya came lookin' for Flack, did ya?"

"Yes."

"How was yer date?" Tess' head shot up. "Yeah. He mighta said somethin'." Danny shrugged. "Not really my business. Flack'd come talk to ya himself, but he decided on havin' a liquid dinner." Tess' eyes closed and her shoulders slumped. Danny smiled and shook his head. _At least they were both in deep._ "Come on. Time for ya to go rescue Flack from himself." Danny led Tess over to the bar. Don's head swiveled as she stopped at his elbow.

"Hiya," she said quietly.

"Hey."

"I hear you've been sitting here getting blitzed."

Don nodded. "I am." He looked Tess up and down. "Didn't expect ta see ya."

Tess smiled slightly. "I got things wrapped up. Thought you might want to grab a bite."

"I'm not really in shape ta…"

Tess shook her head. "I can see that. Let's get you to a table, get something besides beer into you and get you home."

"Tess, ya don't…"

"Yeah. I do." She turned toward Danny. "Could you give me a hand?" They wrestled Don to a table and sat him down. Tess got a pitcher of water and an order of fries. She sat down and poured Don a large glass. "Drink this."

"Tess," he whined.

"Just drink it. I will force the water and the fries down your throat if I have to." Something in her voice made Don believe she would do it. He picked up the glass and drank down about half of it. "Now some French fries." Don looked at the fries and shook his head. Tess picked up a fry and waved it at him. "You are going to eat these. It's your decision if it's going to be with or without help." Don frowned at Tess, but opened his mouth. He bit the fry off just at her fingers. "Hey. You be careful. I need those."

"I wouldn't have bit you, Tess." Don raised his eyebrows. "Not unless you wanted me to."

Tess blushed hard. She waved another fry at him. "I don't trust your aim at the moment, Donald."

Don grabbed her wrist and bit that fry out of her fingers too. "No one calls me Donald." He grinned at her. "I like it."

Tess shook her head. "No flirting until you're sober. Besides, I believe a couple of hours ago we were in a fight."

"But ya came lookin' for me."

"And found you with your nose down a bottle." Tess picked up another fry. "Less talking, more eating."

"Yes, ma'am."

Danny shook his head. "If you two are settled now, I'm getting out of here." He stood up. "Before I go into sugar shock," he muttered under his breath.

Don grinned up at Danny. "I heard that. Now ya know how I feel when yer sittin' there makin' doe eyes at Monroe."

"Not the same thing."

Don smirked at Danny. "No, it ain't. My girl is sittin' right here. Yer girl doesn't…" Tess clamped her hand over Don's mouth.

"And we're going to end this conversation right here. Before it ends with Danny shoving the fries _and_ the plate down your throat." Tess looked up at Danny. "Good night, Danny and thanks."

"No problem, Tiger Girl. Just keep him out of trouble."

"I'll certainly give it a shot."

Danny shook his head. "Good luck with that." He walked away.

---------

The alarm screeched loudly. Don reached out from under the covers and hit the clock hard. He tried to sit up and fell back with his head pounding. He cracked one eye and saw a glass of water and a bottle of aspirin on the nightstand. He rolled over and slid up his pillows. He poured out a couple of capsules, popped them in his mouth and downed the water. His stomach gave a roll and he closed his eyes willing it to settle. He glanced at the time, groaned and headed to the shower.

Don searched his apartment. _Where was that jacket?_ He didn't have time for this. Finally, he gave up, grabbed his trench coat and flew out the door. On his way down the stairs, he dialed his phone.

"Would ya know anything about my jacket bein' missing?"

"Good morning to you too."

"It is not a good morning," he growled.

"Not my fault." Tess paused. "Well, maybe a little. But I did try to make it up to you."

"I know. Thanks. Now, 'bout my jacket."

"I like this jacket."

"Ya took it."

"Yes. Are you going to come arrest me?" purred Tess.

Don groaned. "I'm on my way to work, Sweetheart."

"And I'm getting ready for school. I just got out of the shower."

Don stopped dead on the stairs. "Tess. Cut it out. Yer makin' my head hurt."

"That's the hangover. I would love to continue this conversation. Especially since I know what it's doing to you, but I have to get ready for school. I'm running just a touch late this morning."

"Not my fault. Ya didn't have ta stay here last night. I went right ta sleep." _But it was nice to have you curled up next to me._

"I know. By the way, I have your t-shirt too."

"I'll have to take possession of them the next time I see ya."

"Who says I'm giving them up?"

"That's my favorite jacket, Tess."

"I know. It looks good on you. Smells like you too."

"Yer gonna have ta give it back."

"You're going to have to make me."

Don took a deep breath. "Yer killin' me, Tess."

She laughed. "Well, when you get a chance you can come over here and take your things into custody. Until then I get to walk around in them."

Don stopped and closed his eyes again briefly. "You have got to stop, Tess. Please."

"But you make it so easy, Donald," hummed Tess.

"I'm hangin' up now," he ground out.

"I'll talk to you later." Tess clicked off.

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	5. Pulled from the wreckage

A/N: See intro for the standard stuff. Please R&R. This chapter is really, really short. I considered bundling it in with the next one, but I really wanted it to ride on its own. This is a tie-in to the present season. Not mentioned by name, so I'm not sure that there's really a spoiler warning in order. Let me know if you're confused.

LittleCorinthian: Gotta love talking w/ Danny. Meadow: Thank you. RS: Leave it to you to know just where I'm heading. Hallucinating: She really couldn't let him think what he was. RoadRunner: Glad you enjoyed it. As I said Danny is fun to talk to. Hope you all enjoy this short bit.

* * *

Papers were neatly stacked in two piles on the coffee table. A mug of coffee sat steaming at the edge of the table. A CD played in the background on continuous repeat. Tess sat on the floor leaning back against the couch. Her knees were drawn up and her glasses were perched on the end of her nose as she read through the essay. She paused to make a note on the paper. A knock sounded on the door. Tess glanced up and frowned. Bette knew she was grading and didn't want to be disturbed. She was at Peter's. Besides, Bette wouldn't have knocked. She would have just burst in. Tess wasn't expecting anybody. A knock sounded again, a more insistent. Tess unfolded her body and set down the paper and pen. She stood up stretched and headed for the door. Several hard knocks sounded.

"I'm coming," she called annoyed. "A little patience would be a good thing," she mumbled, hand on the knob. She opened the door to find a dripping detective standing there. "Don? I wasn't…"

He looked up. His face was drawn and his eyes pained and haunted. "I know. I know yer tryin' to get exams graded, but I…" His voice trailed off and he dropped his head again.

Tess reached out a hand. "No, that's okay. Come on in." She stood aside and he passed by her. Tess looked him up and down. "You're soaked through. Take off your coat. Do you want a drink?" She shut the door and turned back toward Don. He hadn't moved. Tess closed her eyes. She could feel the waves of anguish rolling off of him. An answering ache welled up inside her. She walked and stood in front of him. She slid her hands up over his shoulders, under the edge of his trench coat. He hadn't bothered to close it and his suit coat and shirt were wet too. Don's hands came up to grip her wrists. He held them still before she could slide his coat off. His eyes flickered to her work on the coffee table.

"Ya have things ta do. I should go."

Tess shook her head. "I have a few days yet." She gave him a crooked grin. "You know me. Don't put off until tomorrow. They'll keep."

"I don't want to…" He glanced at the papers again.

"You aren't. Can we get you out of the wet trench coat? You are getting my carpet all mushy." Don stood still and let her remove his coat this time. Tess hung it in the closet and turned back. Don still hadn't moved. Tess shook her head slightly. His shoulders were slumped and his head still hung down. What happened? Tess wouldn't push. She crossed back in front of him. She reached up and caressed Don's cheek. She leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. Her hand went to his shirt front. Wet. Tess pulled away and slid his suit coat off. She took it and hung it next to his trench. Back to the immobile detective. Tess reached up and started to undo his tie. Don grasped her wrists again. He met her eyes.

"Tess."

Tess put a finger to his lips. "Shh. Just shhh." She went back to work on his tie. Tess pulled it free from his shirt collar and dropped it over the back of the couch. She started to slip the buttons free on his shirt.

"Tess." He didn't still her hands. Tess kissed him into silence this time. As he clung to her lips, she kept undoing his shirt. When she reached his waist she tugged it free, finished opening it, and pushed it off his arms. The shirt joined the tie. Don wrapped his arms around her, pressing her close and kissing her firmly. Tess' hands dropped to his belt buckle. Don groaned a little.

"Tess." Her name came out a hoarse whisper. He looked into her eyes. They were full of fire, warm. He touched her cheek. Tess turned her head and kissed his palm. Don's hands dropped to her waist. He slid them under the edge of her top and upward. Tess raised her arms and let him peel it off. She stopped him briefly to remove her glasses and drop them on the couch. Goosebumps rose on her bare skin. Don ran his hands up and down Tess' arms, warming her. Tess leaned in and kissed him. Don turned them and lifted her so that she sat on the back of the couch. He settled himself between her knees. Tess wrapped her legs around him and drew him closer. Don reached up and pulled the scrunchie out of her hair. It cascaded down her back, over his hands.

---------

In the warm cocoon of Tess' bed, Don stroked her hair. Tess lay peaceful against him. He could still hear the muffled strains of the CD drifting through the door. He kissed her hair, inhaled and smiled slightly. _Gingerbread again. He was really starting to like gingerbread. _His body relaxed and his eyes drifted closed.

---------


	6. And just forget the world

A/N: See the intro for the standard stuff. Please R&R. It's freezing here. I need the warm fuzzies. Helps keep the bunnies warm too.

Meadow: Gold start for you. LittleCorinthian: Yeah. You just want to wrap the guy up in a big hug. Or something like that. RS: The line is there for a reason. Thank you all.

* * *

The glow of clock bathed the room in a greenish glow. Tess rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She could hear Don's slight snore and smiled. Tess shifted a little to prop herself up and looked at Don's sleeping face. She smiled again and ran her fingers over the stubble that darkened his chin.

"Yer staring at me."

"Got a problem with it?" His head moved slightly from side to side and he opened his eyes. Don reached up and touched Tess' face softly. She turned her face and kissed his palm. "Feeling any better?"

"Define better." Don played with a lock of Tess' hair. "I feel real good. Right this minute. Here with you. Doesn't change what's goin' on out there. What happened, what's waitin' for me."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

Don shook his head and turned away. "Not really."

"Okay."

Don turned back. "No, it's not okay." He turned on his side so he was facing Tess fully. "I mean I jus' come in here and fuck ya."

Tess frowned and shook her head. "You didn't…"

"Yeah. I did."

"I wasn't an unwilling participant, Don."

He smiled just a little. "No. Far from it." He stroked her face. "But ya were an escape. I had a shitty day. A beyond shitty day and I came here so ya could take me away from it. So I could forget about it."

Tess sat up and pulled the comforter around her body. She tried to figure out what Don was thinking. She searched his face and wasn't getting anything. She frowned. "Are you breaking up with me? Because this is starting to sound like a break-up conversation and if it is I don't want to be lying here naked in bed with you."

Don rolled on his back. He lay staring up at the ceiling for several heartbeats. Tess started to slide out of bed, he caught her wrist. "Please come back here. I'm not breaking up with ya." He tugged at her arm and pulled her back next to him. Don rubbed slow circles on her back. He sighed. "This ain't easy for me, Tess. I don't want ya to feel like I'm just usin' ya."

Tess sat up, shook her head and smiled slightly. "Believe me. I'll let you know if I feel that way."

That brought a chuckle out of him. "I'm sure ya will. And may I point out it wasn't too long ago that I got drunk off my ass because ya went on a date with another guy."

"It wasn't a date.'

"Were ya gonna pay for dinner?"

"I didn't eat anything."

"I'm not fighting with ya over this again. Ya had a date, it made me sick."

Tess ducked her head. "Fine." She looked back at Don, trying not to drown in his blue eyes. "I didn't enjoy myself though."

"Good," Don growled. He placed a finger over her lips. "Now would ya jus' be quiet a minute? I'm tryin' to talk ta ya, which is no easy thing for me and ya keep interruptin'."

Tess smiled. "I'll keep my mouth shut." She sat up and made the motion of locking her lips. Then she snuggled back up into the crook of his arm.

"Yeah, right." He kissed her hair. "Ya came lookin' for me that night. Ya took me home, ya took care of me. And tonight ya just took me in an' didn't ask for anything in return. Didn't ask why I was here. Didn't push."

Tess shrugged. "That's not what you needed, Don."

He shut his eyes, trying to think of a different approach. "I wasn't exactly a monk before I met ya." Tess sat up to comment. "Tess…" Don gave her an admonishing look. She smiled and slid back down. "And my reputation isn't really the best."

"This is starting to sound like a break-up speech again."

"I'm not breakin' up with ya," he ground out through clenched teeth. "Jus' forget it."

Tess propped herself on her elbow. She ran her fingers over Don's cheek. "I'm sorry."

Don's eyes flickered away from Tess' "I said forget about it."

Tess smiled slightly. "I know you did. You're still churning it around up here." She tapped Don on his forehead. "And here." She tapped his chest. "And I know my joking with you has hurt you a little here." She tapped his chest again. "Don, you're the first guy I've given more than the time of day to since Alex high-tailed it to St. Louis."

Don stiffened. "I don't really want to talk about Flower Guy."

"I know you don't, but he _was_ my boyfriend for two and a half years." Tess took a deep breath. She knew she had to tread carefully here. "And he is the guy I thought I might be spending the rest of my life with."

Don frowned at her. "Now yer starting to sound like a break-up speech."

Tess smiled and kissed him lightly. "I would not be lying in bed naked with you if I was breaking up with you, Donald Flack Jr. So you can just kill that thought."

Don smiled back and touched her cheek. "Jus' checkin."

"Nothing wrong with checking. I'm going to try to keep us on the same page here. I don't know what's going on between us besides some really good sex."

"Just really good?"

Tess blushed. "Don't be getting your ego all in an uproar." Don started to open his mouth. "And I'm not going to feed it either. I think you're pretty aware of what you do to me." Tess blushed harder. "Stop looking at me like that. Do I have to get dressed to finish this conversation?" Tess pinned Don with her best teacher gaze. Don did his best to look contrite and failed miserably. "I'm scared to look too closely. I thought I had a pretty good idea about how things were going in my last relationship, and I was utterly, completely wrong." Don started to say something again. Tess put her finger to his lips. "My turn to talk. I want you to know that when I was sitting in the restaurant with Alex…" Tess shook her head and opened her entire hand over Don's mouth. "Just let me finish. All I could think about was how soon I could ditch him and find you. I wanted to be with you." She took her hand off Don's mouth.

"Do I get ta talk now?" Tess smiled, shook her head and then nodded. "Are ya sure?" Tess' smile deepened and she nodded again. "Okay, then." Don flipped her so she was underneath him. "Only really good sex?"

Tess giggled. "I said..."

Don shook his head and kissed her hard. "Yer not letting me finish. My turn and there ain't gonna be no talkin' involved." He slid his hand between them and smiled as Tess arched against him. He trailed his lips to her ear. "I think I can get a better grade than really good," he whispered.

------------

Tess sat knitting, pausing once in a while to sip her soup. She reached up and rubbed at her eyes. She smiled remembering just why she was so tired. She smiled again and shook her head. Tess had just picked up her knitting when a phone started ringing. She recognized the ringtone, but ignored it. The song stopped and then started again. She started to hum along. One of the other teachers gave her a pointed look. Tess frowned a little. She dug in her cardigan pocket and pulled out her phone. It _was _ringing. She shook her head and flipped it open.

"Touché."

"Just a little sample. That's not the payback."

Tess rolled her eyes. "I'll keep that in mind. That's…" Tess cleared her throat. "That's a pretty heavy song, Don."

"I know."

"I said I didn't want to look too closely."

"Ya said that. I didn't."

"I know that." Tess sighed. "Don…"

"I need your grace, to remind me, to find my own."

Tess' head fell forward. "Oh, God. You're singing to me. Where the heck are you that you're singing? Don…" Tess dug a fist at her eye. "Are you trying to make me cry?"

"No, Sweetheart. Just showing ya I can be full of surprises."

Tess bit her lip and smiled. "I kind of figured that out last night."

"Hmm. That crackling sound scared ya, did it? Okay. So, I _did _earn a better grade." Tess could hear the grin in his voice.

She shook her head. "I am sitting in the middle of the teachers' lounge. Do not start."

"Hmm. I think I've given you the same warning. Ya never listen."

"Donald Flack Jr. Don't even."

"Don't even what, Teresa Nagy? Don't even ask what grade ya'd give me now? Maybe I could use some private tutoring. Got any suggestions on how I could bring it up?"

Tess leaned her head back. "Don," she squeaked.

"Maybe ya could give me some pointers on my technique."

"Stop. Please."

Don grinned and decided to let Tess off the hook. "I took back my jacket by the way."

"I noticed."

"I left ya the t-shirt. I like how it looks on you better."

Tess took a deep, shuddering breath. "I'll talk to you later."

"See ya, Tess." Don snapped his phone shut.

------------


	7. She's got a smile that heals me

A/N: See the intro for the standard stuff. Please R & R. Thank you. Sorry I've been out of touch for so long. I hope I haven't lost anyone. For those of you following my other story too, another chapter on that one in the next couple of days. Promise. Please let me know if I've pushed a little too far. Thanks.

LittleCorinthian: You're obsessed. But it's ok. Hope finals went well. RS: Well, you know I can't just leave them all warm and happy. Although, God knows I'm looking for that warm happy place. Wolviesgal: Read the title. And he sings her a line from the song. Google it. RoadRunner: Well, Tess can't dish all the time. She has to learn to take it too. Meadow: Glad you're still hanging in there. Thank you everyone. You really can't know how much your reviews mean to me. Really. You can't.

* * *

A couple of uniformed officers brushed past as Tess stepped carefully into the busy bullpen. She nervously pulled her tote closer to her body and looked around. She didn't see Don anywhere and she began to think maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Tess turned around and started to leave.

"Somethin' I can do for ya, Miss?" Tess turned back around and gave the man in front of her a small smile.

"I was looking for Detective Flack."

The man frowned a little at Flack's name. "He had ta step out. Whatdaya need?"

"Is he coming back soon?"

"Probably." He shrugged. "Didn't say. Ya wanna wait at his desk?"

Tess nodded. "I guess."

The man gestured at a desk. "Over there." Tess spotted his nameplate and nodded.

"Thanks."

"Sure." The man went on his way. Tess took the chair next to the desk. She sat for a couple of moments and fiddled with a pencil on the edge of the desk. She looked around watching the activity. Finally, she pulled out a pair of earbuds, plugged them in and pulled out her knitting. Tess worked on turning lime green yarn into a hat and watched what was going on around her with curiosity.

------------

Don was striding down the hallway when the detective who had directed Tess stopped him.

"Hey, Flack. There's a girl sitting by your desk."

Don frowned. "A girl, what girl?" He couldn't recall any of his present cases relating specifically to a girl.

"Dunno. Didn't ask her name. About 5'8" or so. Dark Blonde. Pretty. Knittin' somethin'."

Don blinked a couple of times. "How long she been there?"

"Fifteen, twenty minutes or so."

"Geeze. How come ya didn't page me, Morrison?"

"I ain't your social secretary, Flack." Morrison called as he continued down the hall. Don moved quickly down the hall. He paused in the doorway briefly and watched Tess. Her hands were flying as she knit and people-watched. He smirked slightly and shook his head. Tess looked up and spotted him. She smiled broadly and Don felt a little catch in his heartbeat. He grinned back. Tess set down her knitting and crossed her hands in her lap. Don shook his head again and crossed over to her. Tess pulled the earbuds out and turned off her music.

"You are the only girl I know that would sit in the middle of a police station knitting away like yer at a tea party."

Tess flashed him a brilliant smile. "I am full of surprises."

"One of them yer bein' here."

"We had noon dismissal. Conferences. I don't have any until 3:30 and I thought I would pop in. I was wondering if you'd like to take me to that hot dog stand you're always having lunch at."

"Ya hauled yerself all the way down here for lunch?" asked Don incredulously. "At a hot dog stand?"

"Yes." Tess' face fell. "You had lunch. You're busy. I should have called." She shoved her things in to her bag and refused to look at Don.

"Actually, I'm not busy. It's just…" Don stopped. He grinned at Tess. "Come on. You've been sittin' here long enough." Don held out his hand and helped her up. He grabbed his jacket. As they headed out, Don called himself in for lunch. "Do I wanna know how you managed ta get all the way up here?"

"I asked for you, flashed my school id and acted like I belonged."

Don shook his head. "Oh, that's just terrific. Great security. No one checked yer bag and found the pointy sticks?"

"They saw my knitting needles. It's pretty obvious what they're for." They passed a pair of detectives on the stairs. The one very deliberately ran into Don in passing and said nothing. Tess paused a moment and watched the pair continue up the stairs. Don kept his head down and kept going. Tess hurried to catch up with him. "Are you going to tell me what that was about?"

"Nothin'"

"Don, I work in a high school. I_ know_ that wasn't 'nothin''."

"Jus' don't, Tess." Tess snapped her mouth shut and quietly followed him out of the station house. They continued in silence to the hot dog stand.

"Whatdaya havin'?" asked the vendor.

"Do you do a chili dog?" Tess asked hopefully. The vendor grunted and fixed her dog. Don ordered his usual with everything. He paid for their lunch and walked Tess over to low wall outside one of the office buildings. Tess took a bite and shrugged. "Not Tony Paco's, but it'll do." They ate in silence for a few minutes. Tess watched Don the whole time. He finally looked up and met her eyes.

"What?" Tess just raised her eyebrows and waited. Don grumbled under his breath. "Mac busted one of my guys last week."

"And that put those guys' knickers in a twist because…?"

"Truby was on my team for a bust. He pocketed three keys of coke. Then shot a kid ta cover it up."

"You're getting blamed because Mac burned a bad cop?"

"I was lead. My notebook damned him."

Tess shook her head frowning. "And? I'm not getting something here."

"Code of silence, Tess. I broke it."

"You handed over a notebook. You neither stole the coke, nor arrested Truby."

"Ya don't get it."

Tess shook her head hard. "No, I don't," she agreed.

"I didn't have Truby's back. That's what they're sayin'"

"Would that be the back this Truby stuck the knife in by stealing coke and then murdering someone to cover it up? What a bunch of idiots." Tess reached up and turned Don's face so that he looked into her eyes. "To hell with them, Donald Flack, Jr."

"They're my guys, Tess. What they do reflects on me," he said sadly. "We all live…"

"By the same badge? Would this be the badge you almost died for or the one that Whatshisface ground into the dirt?" Tess failed at controlling the anger in her voice.

"Truby."

"Who?"

"Whatshisface."

Tess shook her head. "Whatever. You stop feeling bad because you did what was right." Tess set down her chili dog and stood up in front of Don. He ignored her stare and kept eating. She poked him in the chest to get his attention. He gave her an annoyed look. "Truby decided being a cop wasn't enough. _He_ overstepped. You did not. You acted with honor. He threw his away." Tess poked him in the chest again. "Don't let him or them drag you down." Tess tapped Don in the chest again. Don grabbed her hand. "You have a big heart here. I love you for it. But please." Tess reached up with her other hand and tapped his temple. "Use what God gave you up here too." Tess stopped at the look he was giving her. She bit her lip worried that maybe _she_ had overstepped. Don kept just staring at her. She got more worried. "What?" Her voice cracked a little. Don kept her hand gripped in his.

"You said you love me."

Tess looked at him like he had grown a second head. "I did?" Tess looked at the toes of Don's shoes.

"You said, 'I love you for it.' Were ya just sayin' that 'cuz you were yellin' at me?"

Tess wouldn't look up. "Does it matter?"

Don set down his food and pulled Tess closer so she stood between his knees. "Well, yeah. Yeah, it does. Did ya really mean to say ya loved me?" he asked quietly. Tess didn't answer immediately. "Tess? Sweetheart?" He reached his finger under her chin and tilted her face up.

"We're standing in the middle of a street in New York City."

"Yeah. I kinda noticed that." Tess just stood there. She looked down again. Don sighed. "Never mind, Tess." He let go of her hand and started to pick up the hot dog again.

"I love you," she said softly. Don looked over at her. "God help me, I love you." Tess reached out and touched his hand. Don turned his hand and gave hers a squeeze.

"God help you and me both, Sweetheart," he grinned at her.

Tess punched him in the shoulder. "Oh, that's confidence inspiring."

"What?" Don reached out and touched Tess' face. He grinned up at her. "I love it when ya give me the 'teacher' look."

"What 'teacher' look?"

"That one."

"Don't start with me. _You_ have to go back to work and really so do I." Tess sat back down.

"Okay. I'll behave."

"Like I believe that."

"As ya pointed out, we are in the middle of a street in New York City."

"Just keep that in mind."

"How late are ya gonna to be doin' conferences?"

"Until 9:30."

"9:30 isn't too late. I should be free. I could pick ya up from school."

"I have to go back to school in the morning. Early in the morning."

"What? Can't go out on a school night?"

"I can't keep coming to school dead tired, Don."

"I won't keep ya up too late, Sweetheart. Come on. We can have a quick bite. I can walk ya home."

"You do know I managed to get back and forth to school just fine before I met you."

"I know. Come on, Tess. Just come out and play for a little while."

"Just for a cup of something and then you take me home and you go straight home."

"OK."

"I mean it, Don."

"I promise. Straight home. Scout's honor." Don held up his hand.

Tess frowned. "Were you really a scout?"

"I even made Eagle."

Tess smiled and shook her head. "Better than I did. I got kicked out of Girl Scouts."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Hey. Don't insult me." She swatted him in the arm.

"I wasn't." Don glanced at his watch. "I gotta get back. Come here." Tess eyed him skeptically. "I promise I won't embarrass ya out here." He tugged Tess into a hug. He kissed her hair and then her lips. "I'll see ya later, Sweetheart."

"For a little while." Tess tapped Don's temple. "Remember to use more of this. Okay?"

"I'll try." He gave her one more quick kiss. "Later, Tess." Don stood up.

"See you later." Don headed back towards the station. Tess cleared away the lunch debris and headed for a subway. She had just reached the stairs of the closest station when her phone rang. She listened to the tune briefly, smiled and flipped it open.

"Yes?"

"I love you too, Sweetheart." The phone clicked in Tess' ear. She blinked twice and bit her lip. She shook her head and bounced down the stairs.

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	8. Two worlds collided pt 1

A/N: Please see the intro for the standard stuff. Please R & R. It's a cheap gift. Hold onto your seats. This is a two parter. It was a little long for one section.

Meadow: Not much to Aw here. LittleCorinthian: Hope you are well on the road to recovery. RoadRunner: Thank you, thank you. Glad you liked it. RS: You should have never mentioned the happy place. I can't let you hang in the happy place. I will try to get back there before I have to go on holiday hiatus.

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Bette sat munching a bagel at the kitchen table when Tess came out of her bedroom, rubbing her eyes. She blinked a couple of times at Bette.

"Well, if it isn't the prodigal roommate. Run out of food at Peter's again?"

"Mmmm." Bette kept on crunching. Tess started the kettle and leaned against the kitchen counter yawning. Bette looked her up and down and swallowed. "I might say the same of you."

"What? I'm here almost every night."

"Late almost every night. I'm guessing things are going well with that cop of yours."

Tess grinned and nodded. "Very well."

Bette nodded and grinned back. "Well, well, well. I haven't seen that smile in a while. I would say things are going better than very well." Bette waved her bagel at Tess. "You just be careful."

Tess rolled her eyes. "Yes, Mom."

"You stayin' in town for Thanksgiving then?"

"No. Over the river and through the woods. Ticket from Grandma arrived last week."

"I can't believe you go home twice in a month."

"Only at this time of the year. And _I_ like my family."

"Don goin' with you?"

Tess poured the hot water in her French press and put the lid on. She glanced over her shoulder at Bette. "We aren't really at that point."

"Ah."

"Don't 'Ah' me. You've _never_ taken Peter back to Minnesota."

"And with good reason."

"You need to fish or cut bait, Bette." Tess poured milk into a mug.

"I happen to be fine with the way things are, Tess. So's Peter. Why rock the boat?" Bette continued munching on her bagel. "Heard anything else from Alex?"

Tess didn't answer as she pushed down the plunger on the press. "Now who's rocking the boat?"

"Just asking."

"No. Why would I?"

"Dunno. Like I said just asking."

"Mmm." Tess poured her coffee into her mug. She took a long drink and sighed happily. "I got Don to go fencing last night."

Bette raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

Tess shrugged. "We had our regular Sunday thing at the club and I told him if he wanted to see me he had to come. He wasn't half bad for a beginner. At least, not once I convinced him to stop playing Robin Hood."

"I would have paid to see that."

Tess smiled. "Hmm. Blackmail. I hadn't thought of that. Need to take some video if I get him back there. Danny I'm sure would pay to see it."

"You have a devious mind, Teresa Nagy."

"I know. Don't tell Don."

Bette grinned. "My lips are sealed."

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Dawn was just filtering through the skyscrapers and casting a dim grayness through the city caverns. Don parked his car at the curb, got out and looked for the first on scene.

He spotted him waiting at the mouth of the alley. Don gave him a curt nod. "Great way to start a week. So what have we got?"

The officer walked with Don down the alley. "Female. Somewhere between 14-18. No ID on her. Just..." They got close enough to the body for Don to spot a familiar black and purple jacket. He recognized the weapon sticking out of the girl's chest and stopped dead. The uniform looked at him. "Detective?"

"They're not supposed to be able to do that. There's a protective tip on the end." Don gave himself a mental shake before he drifted off into babbling.

"Dunno. That's just the way the guy found her."

Don's head snapped up. He looked around the alley. He didn't really want to find out who the girl in the Hunter jacket was. The uniform nodded at a guy further up the alley talking to two other uniforms. He was dressed in a dirty fatigue jacket and kept rubbing his nose on the sleeve. Don stepped carefully past the dead girl, not looking at her. The uniform he was with gave him a funny look. Don walked up to the witness, pulled out his notebook and flipped it open.

"So when did ya come across the girl?"

The guy's eyes swiveled wildly around the alley. "Like I said…I had just come down here to find a place to sleep and there she was."

"Ya didn't do that ta her? Stick her and take her stuff?"

The guy's eyes flickered toward the body. "Naw, man. She didn't have no stuff. No bag. Nuttin'."

"Then how the hell did ya call this in?"

"I got a phone. For callin' my sister."

"For callin' yer sister," mocked Flack.

"Hey, Flack!" Don heard Danny's voice from the mouth of the alley. He turned, his lips set in a grimace.

"Messer. See ya got a wake up call too."

"Yeah." Danny had just spotted the body. "Geeze. Hey, Flack, isn't…"

Don dropped his head. "Yeah. She's from Hunter."

"Any ID?" Don just shook his head. Danny frowned at the body. "Is that a sword stickin'…?"

"It's a foil." Don could no longer delay the inevitable. He headed back down the alley to where Danny was crouched next to the body. He looked down and felt sick to his stomach. "Shit. I can ID her."

Danny's head snapped up. "The hell ya can."

Don wiped his hand over his face and worked at keeping his morning coffee down. He took a deep breath. "Her name is Angie Dominguez." Danny watched him intently. Don looked down at the glassy eyed face. He closed his eyes. "I'm done here."

"Whatdaya mean you're done here?"

"She's one of Tess' girls. One of her fencers. I saw her last night. At Karkov's Fencing Club. When I was out with Tess." Don picked up his phone and called for backup. "I'll be on the other side of the tape." He walked off with Danny staring after him.

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Don paced back and forth. "This is gonna kill her. I can't jus' let some stranger tell her someone stabbed on of her girls with…" He stopped and looked down. "Tess was very attached to Angie. She was like a little sister. I gotta be there. Ya can't cut me outta this." He looked up at his captain. "Come on, Cap'."

"Ya don't really have any place askin' for favors."

Don looked at the floor. "I know. I wouldn't. It's jus'…" Don looked back up at the captain. "Forget it. I shouldn't have asked."

The captain shook his head. "Ya can't talk ta her 'till she gives a statement. I'll let ya go down there." Don looked relieved and started to say something. The captain held up his hand. "If you've finished yer statement. That's the best I can do, Flack."

"Thanks, Cap'."

"I can't give ya the whole day off. Take a couple of hours, get things settled and then ya gotta come back and finish yer shift."

"I can do that."

"Go on then. Get yer statement done." Don nodded and went to find the lead on the case.

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A/N2: Becca now does a duck and cover. I will post the next part soon. Promise. Just tweaking a little. 


	9. Two worlds collided pt 2

A/N: See Intro for the standard stuff. Please R&R. As I said, a very cheap Christmas gift. This will probably be the last chapter before the first of the year. I have a few other things to wrap up before Monday and then it's off to Chicago for several days. With no internet access. Grrr. Anyway, enjoy. Merry Christmas, Happy Haunkkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Blessed Eid, Happy New Year, or just have a good day.

Meadow: Hmmm. Not sure it was a good chapter. Hope this was soon enough. RS: So I can still blindside you, eh? Heh, heh, heh. Sparky: Well, he is a little late...Read on. LittleConrintian: Flack in fencing gear. Larger than life. Yum. Except for the fact that those baby blues would be behind the mask. But we wouldn't want to put his eye out would we?

* * *

Don paced the office, his long strides quickly eating up the floor before he had to pivot back. He kept looking at the closed door he knew Tess was behind. He had given his statement back at the station, filling in what he knew about Angie and when he had last seen her. He had practically flown to Hunter damning the regs. Tess was already being questioned and he was stuck waiting. He continued pacing. A sound from inside the room made him stop. The door stayed closed. He listened again to the sound and suddenly felt a crushing pain in his chest. Retching. The sound was retching. Don wiped his hand over his face and took a deep breath. A pair of frantic parents came sailing into the office, asking for their daughter. One of the secretaries took them to where Angie's teammates were sitting with grief councilors. Finally, the door opened and a uniform escorted Tess out. Her head was bowed and her gait shuffling. She didn't raise her head and she moved into the open office. Don crossed over to her in two long strides.

"Tess. Sweetheart." Her head rose slightly.

"Don?" she softly whimpered. Don took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her close against him as sobs ripped through her body. He kissed her hair over and over and rubbed her back trying to absorb some of her pain.

"Shh. Shh." He felt her body convulse slightly and pulled back. "Tess, are you gonna get sick again?" She shook her head slightly. Tess wrapped her arms around his waist. He felt her get heavy in his arms as her knees weakened. Don moved carefully to a chair near the wall, sat down and pulled her into his lap. Tess curled up there clutching his shirtfront in a fist. Don rubbed his cheek over her hair, feeling completely helpless. He kissed the top of her head again. "Tess, Sweetheart, I'm gonna take ya home, but ya gotta be able to walk. I don't think ya want me ta have ta carry ya out of the school." Tess' head shook back and forth slightly. "Okay. We'll just sit here until yer ready. Okay?" A nod this time. Someone cleared their throat. Don looked over Tess' head.

"I'm Mark Pritchett, the principal." The man held his hand out. Don reached past Tess and shook it. "When you're ready, Tonita has Tess' things. We brought them down from her room." Don nodded. Mark gently touched Tess' shoulder. Tess raised her head and looked at him. "Tess. Take the time you need. We'll take care of things. Okay?" Tess nodded slightly. Mark looked back at Don. "Are you going to take care of her?"

Don nodded. "Yes, sir." Mark nodded and turned away. The two of them sat there for several more minutes. Tess straightened. She looked into Don's eyes and touched his cheek. His eyes scanned her face. He looked into her eyes again asking a silent question. Tess nodded slightly. She slowly slid off his lap and Don held her elbow, supporting her as she stood. Tess ran her hands over her face and her clothing. She collected her things from Tonita and slowly walked out of the office, Don's hand still on her elbow. Tess stepped into the hallway just as Takisha and her mother were passing by. Tess and the girl dropped their bags and wrapped each other in a hug, both shaking as if buffeted by a strong wind. Don rested his hand on Tess' shoulder. Takisha's mother wrapped her arms around herself. She spotted the badge clipped to Don's belt.

"Officer?"

Don looked at the woman. "Detective." He held his hand out. "Detective Don Flack."

"Naomi West." She shook Don's hand. Mrs. West looked from Tess to Don and back.

"Tess…Miss Nagy is my girlfriend."

"Didn't think NYPD gave personal escorts." Mrs. West touched her daughter's shoulder. "Takisha, honey." Takisha stepped away from Tess digging at her eyes. Takisha looked at Don.

"You'll find out who did this right, Mr. Flack?"

"We'll do our best, Takisha."

"But you knew her. You knew Angie. That makes a difference, right?"

Mrs. West looked at her daughter sadly. "He said they'd do their best."

Tess rubbed at her eyes. "I've give you a call Omie. If I hear anything."

Mrs. West nodded. "I'll do the same. If you talk to Gracie or Rob, let them know our prayers are with them." Tess nodded. Mrs. West wrapped her arm around her daughter. "Come on, Takisha. Let's get ya home, girl." She led her daughter away. Tess watched them walk away. She looked up and met Don's eyes. He reached out and touched her cheek.

"We'll do our best." Tess just nodded. She picked up her bag and they walked out of the school. Don carefully loaded Tess into his car. They drove silently to Tess' apartment.

They got lucky and found a space almost in front of Tess' building. Don shut off the engine and looked over at Tess. She was staring straight out the front window with a glazed expression on her face. He shook his head, got out of the car and circled around to Tess' side. Don opened the door. Tess just sat there. Don squatted down next to her.

"I don't think ya really want me ta carry ya up ta yer apartment." Tess' head moved slightly. "Then ya need to stand on yer own two feet, Sweetheart." Tess nodded and slid out of the car. Don wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her inside. Tess' hand shook as she tried to open her apartment door and Don took the keys from her. He opened the door and ushered her in. He peeled Tess out of her coat and pushed her gently down into the couch cushions. Don went into the kitchen and rifled through the cupboards. He pulled out a glass and a bottle. He poured a generous two fingers into the glass, went back to Tess and held out the glass. She looked at the glass and back at him.

"I hate scotch." Don crouched down so he was at eye level with Tess.

"What would ya like then, Tess?"

"Just some water and Tylenol."

"Are ya sure? Nothing stronger?"

"Yes. The scotch was a nice gesture, but not really a good idea. Thank you though." Don nodded, stood up and went to find her water and Tylenol. He considered drinking the scotch himself, but he had to go back on shift. He set the glass on the counter. Maybe Tess would change her mind. He came back to find Tess had kicked off her shoes and curled her feet under her. Don handed Tess the glass and the gel tabs. Tess popped them both and drank down the water. "Do you have to go back?" Don picked up Tess' hand and ran his thumb over her knuckles.

"'Fraid so."

"When?"

"Was jus' told to come back and put in my time. I'm here for awhile. For whatever ya need, Sweetheart." Tess nodded. She stood up, and started to pull Don toward her bedroom. Don stopped. "Tess…" She ignored him and kept pulling. Don gave in and followed her.

Inside her bedroom, she pushed off his outer coat and his suit coat. Tess pushed him down so he was sitting on her bed. She bent down and started to pull off his shoes. Don got the idea and toed off his loafers. Tess pushed on his knees and he swung his legs up on to the bed. Tess started to climb up and Don slid over to give her room. She got on the bed and lay down with her head on his chest. Don wrapped his arms around her and Tess slid her arms around his neck. Don slowly rubbed her back. Tess scooted closer to him.

"Wait. Just a minute, Sweetheart," he said softly. Tess slid slightly away. Don unclipped everything from his belt and set it on the nightstand. He gathered Tess back into his arms. He kissed her hair and rubbed her back. Don held her until he heard her breathing shift into the slow pattern of sleep. He carefully slipped out of bed and picked up his things. He quietly snuck out of the bedroom and shut the door. Don clipped everything back to his belt, put his two coats back on and looked for Tess' bag. He dug through it until he found her cell phone. He flipped through her contacts and dialed Bette's number. He left Bette a message asking her to contact Tess as soon as possible. Don found a piece of paper and scrawled Tess a note telling her he'd be back as soon as he could and to call him if she need him. He slipped back into the bedroom and set the note on the nightstand. Then Don quietly left the apartment.

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	10. This world's gone crazy

A/N: New year, new chapter. Please R&R. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

Lane: Bad computer. Hope it's feeling better. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. RS: Tess is still not up to par. Good thing she has support. Please no ER trips over my fic. Ok? Meadow: Good? Maybe? LittleCorinthian:Thank you. RoadRunner: And stayed gone until well after the New Year. Sorry. Hope the cliff wasn't too cold. Thank you all.

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Don slid back into his desk without anyone noticing. He pulled his radio off his belt and set it on his desk. He checked the clock. _Five hours, fifteen minutes. That's all the time he'd still have to put in today, God willing. _He looked heavenward briefly. _Be willing, _he pleaded. He glanced over and saw the captain watching him. They exchanged curt nods. Don turned to the paperwork on his desk. He fiddled and filled in and typed. His cell phone rang. He listened a bit. Plain ringtone. _Not Tess. _He unclipped it and thumbed the answer button.

"Flack."

"Hey. How's Tiger Girl?" Danny's voice held genuine concern.

Don rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Catatonic. I left her asleep. I'm hopin' she'll sleep 'til her roommate can get home. I'm stuck here."

"I wish I could help ya out, Man, but…"

"Thanks for the offer, Messer." Don smiled in spite of everything. "So, ya called. Why?"

"Ya know I shouldn't be talkin' ta ya."

"Yeah. And?"

"Do ya really wanna hear what I've got?"

"Not really, but go ahead. Shoot."

"You were right 'bout the tip. The perp shouldn't been able ta stick the victim."

"Angie. Her name was Angie." Don's voice had gotten louder. He looked around to see if anyone noticed. Danny was sticking his neck out by giving Don any information. No one paid Don any mind. There were advantages to being on the outs with everyone.

Danny sighed heavily. "If yer gonna get all worked up, I can't tell ya anymore."

"Sorry." Don rubbed at the bridge of his nose again. He started doodling on the pad in front of him, just in case anyone did start paying him some attention. "Yer sayin'?"

"Yer right about the weapon. It was snapped off before the vic…Angie was stabbed. She was also knocked on the head. Unconscious. Wouldn't have felt nothin'."

"I guess that's a plus." Don waited. Danny didn't continue. Don waited a little longer. "And? Yer not tellin' me something', Messer."

"Promise me you'll just listen."

"Danny…"

"Don, ya can't yell. Ya can't fit out. Ya gotta promise me or I ain't gonna tell ya anything else." Don started feeling sick. He had a pretty good idea where Danny was headed with this. For once, Don wasn't sure he wanted all the details. It wasn't his case. He didn't need to know the details. If he didn't know, then Tess couldn't ask him. He wouldn't have to tell her. She could go on remembering Angie as the pretty, vibrant girl that had laughed as Tess scored touch after touch on him last night. Don closed his eyes trying to picture the Angie he had seen last night. The one who yelled suggestions from the sidelines. The one who had shook in hysterics, leaning against Takisha, as Tess ran him off the end of the strip with a fast, aggressive attack. All he could see when he closed his eyes was the glass-eyed stare that greeted him in the alley this morning. Don sighed heavily. Tess would ask. She would want to know. She expected him to give her the answers she needed. Not to hold back. Don could think of a dozen rules that Danny was breaking by telling him what he was and then Don passing the information on to Tess.

"Mac's gonna kill ya for telling' me this." Don decided to give Danny an out.

"Ya let me deal wit' Mac. He ain't around right now."

"Yeah, but he's got a freakin' sixth sense. He'll _know _you've been talkin' ta me."

"I told ya. I'll deal wit' Mac. Now, ya gonna promise or not?"

Don took a deep breath. "I promise." He took another deep breath. "Ya did a rape kit."

"Yeah. Came back positive for two contributors." There was a stony silence on the other end. "Flack?"

"I heard ya," he growled quietly. "Well, at least there won't be any trouble nailing the bastards when we catch them."

"Yeah, if we catch 'em."

"Right." Don tilted his head back and blinked slowly. "Thanks for the info. I'll talk ta ya later, Danny."

"Take care, Flack. Tell Tiger Girl…" Danny sighed. "I don't know what ta tell Tess. Just give her a hug for me."

Don smiled slightly. "Yer getting' soft, Messer. And stay away from my girl, will ya?"

"Afraid of the competition, Flack?"

"You wish."

"Yeah. I do. Talk ta ya later."

"Later." Don clicked off the phone. He turned back to the paperwork on his desk. He wasn't sure if he should be praying for a call-out or not.

---------------

Don knocked on the door to Tess' apartment and waited. A few moments later, Peter opened the door. He gave Don a slight nod.

"Don. Glad yer finally here. Bette can't get Tessie to talk to her. Hell, I can't even get her to yell at me for calling her Tessie." Don's head dropped to his chest and his shoulders slumped. Peter shook his head and stepped aside. Don walked into the apartment and dropped his garment bag over the arm of a chair. Bette looked up from where she was sitting tapping on Tess' door. Her eyes were red-rimmed and she looked worried. Her expression softened when she saw Don. Bette stood up and stretched. She walked over and hugged a very surprised Don. He squeezed her back with his free arm. Bette stepped back. She gave Don a weak smile.

"I'm glad to see you're plannin' to stay."

Don glanced at Tess' closed door. "Has she come out at all?"

"Not for long." Bette fiddled with her braids. "I tried callin' her. Her phone was off. She was in there when I got home. Came out to go to the bathroom. Was wearin' her glasses. Took back a roll of toilet paper." Bette shook her head. "I tried to get her to come out and eat somethin'." Bette shook her head again.

Peter wrapped his arm around Bette's shoulders. "And tried. And tried." He kissed the top of her head and then looked at Don. "Do ya want us to stay?" Don shook his head. "Okay then. My cell and Bette's cell numbers are on the fridge. If ya need anything'…"

"I'll call."

Peter nodded and directed Bette towards the door. Bette touched Don's arm as she passed by. She looked back at Tess' door. "Let her know if she needs me, I'll be right up. Anytime. Just call. Tell her, okay?" She looked up at Don. He winced at the helplessness he saw there. "Promise?"

"I'll let her know. Thanks, Bette. I'll talk ta ya later. Let ya know how Tess' doin'."

"Thanks." Bette stopped, looked at the door, reluctant to go. Peter tugged on Bette's shoulders.

"Come on, Bette. Don'll take care of Tessie."

Bette flashed one more look at Don. "You'd better take care of her. You'd better call me too. Or I'll come up here and kick your ass. Got it?" Don nodded. Bette nodded back. "Just so we're clear. I've been her roommate for 7 years. You've been her boyfriend for about two months." Bette looked at Tess' door. "Why she'd choose to talk to you instead of me…"

"For the same reason you spend most of your free time with me," responded Peter.

Bette looked up at Peter. "Oh, you think you're so smart." She whacked him in the shoulder. She looked back at Don. "I meant what I said about kickin' your ass. Just take it seriously."

"I will do that," said Don soberly. Bette nodded and let Peter lead her away.

After the door closed behind them, Don carried the take-out bag he had brought into the kitchen. He opened the containers and pulled plates out of the cabinet. Don arranged food on the plates and popped one, then the other in the microwave to heat. Don placed a fork on each plate. He fished two beers out of the fridge. He carefully balanced everything and went over to Tess' room. He carefully knocked the beer bottle against the door.

"Tess? Sweetheart?" There was no sound from the other side of the door. "I brought Korean. Ya know I don't really like the stuff and I don't want ta eat by myself. Please let me in." Still nothing. Don leaned his head against the door. He closed his eyes. "Please, Sweetheart," he said quietly, close to the breaking point himself. "Please let me in, Tess," he pleaded. Still no noise. "I'll stand here all night, but the food's gonna get cold and my hands are starting to go numb." Finally, he could hear Tess get up and come across the room. Don let out the breath he was holding. Tess unlocked her door and opened it. Don waited until Tess came into view. When she stepped into the light, Don almost dropped the plates and beer. She looked so bent, bowed. He carefully set everything down on the floor and gathered Tess into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist and melted into him. Don gently rocked her. He kissed her hair and rubbed his cheek on the top of her head. Don felt a burning anger rising up in him overwhelming the heartache he felt for what Tess was going through. He wanted to get his hands on the bastards that had set this all in motion. That had snuffed out the life of a girl on the rise. That had in turn hurt everyone that girl had touched. That had broken his beautiful, strong Tess. Tess leaned back and looked up at Don, her eyes shiny with tears. Don closed his eyes and pulled her back against him.

"You came back," she mumbled into his shirtfront.

"Ya didn't think I would?" Tess just shrugged. "Of course I was comin' back. If I could have jus' blown off the rest of my shift I woulda." He tilted Tess' face up. "I wouldn't leave ya all alone, Sweetheart." Tears spilled down Tess' cheeks. Don wiped them away. "Did ya think I'd bail at the first sign of trouble?"

"I dunno." Tess shook her head. "How am I supposed to know?" Don sighed. He walked Tess over to the couch, sat down and pulled her onto his lap. He ran his hands over her face and tucked stray hair behind her ears. Don looked into her eyes. He traced his thumb over her lips. They just sat for several heartbeats, watching each other. Tess shook her head.

"What?"

"This is completely crazy."

"What's crazy, Sweetheart?"

"You. Me. This."

Don gently touched Tess' face. "Why do ya think this is so crazy?" Tess just shook her head. She leaned up and kissed Don hard. Don pulled away. "Tess?" Tess shook her head. She kissed him again. Without breaking the kiss, Tess shifted so that she was straddling Don with her knees resting on his hips. She broke the kiss and held his face between her hands.

"I want you to make me forget, Don."

"Tess, I don't think…"

"I don't want you to think. I don't want to think." Tess took off her glasses and leaned back to drop them on the coffee table. She ground her hips against Don. He groaned.

"Sweetheart…"

Tess leaned in and nipped at Don's ear. "Make me forget the world, Don." She kissed him hard again and rocked her hips. Don's hands went to her waist. Tess rocked again. He dug his fingers in. Tess fought his grip, rocking harder against him. Don broke off the kiss and looked into Tess' eyes.

"Are you sure, Tess?"

Tess bit her lip. "Please don't make me beg," she whispered. Don's head fell back against the couch. Tess pulled his gaze back to hers. "You have to learn that sometimes I don't want you to be the gentleman." Don nodded. He leaned forward and kissed Tess, his hands sliding over her hips and pulling her against his body. Tess lost herself in that one solid kiss.

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	11. People walk a tightrope on a razor edge

A/N: See the intro for the usual disclaimers. Please R & R. I'm a junkie. I need my fix.

LittleCorinthian: No, Tess' was probably not the most healthy reaction. All actions have concequences. SoccerBitch: Welcome aboard. I'm glad you're enjoying things so far. RS: Hopefully, this will give you a little more to go on. For all the lurkers: thanks for reading. I'd love to hear from you, good or bad.

* * *

Don sleepily reached out an arm and found empty space. He snapped fully awake and looked around. There was no sign of Tess in the room. He sat for a few moments letting his eyes adjust to the low light. He slid out of bed, found his boxers and pulled them on. He rubbed his eyes and went looking for Tess. Don opened the bedroom door. Tess was standing in the kitchen sipping a mug of something. Don just stood in the doorway watching her. She was dressed in just the t-shirt she had swiped from him and panties. The mug cuddled in her hands steamed. She didn't look over at him. 

"I didn't mean to wake you up." She blew at the mug and took a sip.

Don shook his head and stifled a little yawn. "Ya didn't really. I just wondered where ya'd gotten to." Tess nodded. She looked over and gave a small smile.

"Are you hungry? I'll bet the food you brought would be okay if we nuked it."

"I'm always hungry," replied Don. Tess smiled a little more and shook her head. She set her mug down and popped a plate into the microwave. She stood watching the plate revolve.

"I'm sorry you missed dinner," she said quietly. Don closed his eyes, sighed heavily and walked over to her. He touched Tess' arm lightly and when she didn't protest he, drew her close. Don turned her around so she was between him and the counter.

"Ya don't have anything to be sorry about, Sweetheart."

"I pretty much attacked you, Don," she mumbled into his chest. Don rubbed her back. Tess stood there letting him hold her. Slowly her arms went around his waist. Don kissed Tess' hair and rocked her a little. He felt her start to shudder and tears hitting his bare skin. Don pulled slightly away and tilted Tess' face upward. He rubbed the tears off her cheek.

"Are you cryin' over what happened between us tonight?" Tess didn't answer and tried to look down. Don wouldn't let her. He held her face between his hands and locked his gaze with hers. "Just don't, Tess. Okay?"

"It wasn't exactly the healthiest way of dealing with things."

"No. But we've both done it." Tess started to say something, Don shook his head. "Okay. I know that doesn't really make it the right thing to do, but let's just keep that in mind for the next time." Tess gave him a weak smile. She ran her hands up his back and felt a few welts. She traced a finger down one of them.

"But you didn't leave marks." Don closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes again and looked at Tess. He traced a finger over a red mark where her shoulder met her neck. The microwave beeped behind them. They ignored it. Don watched thoughts flicker through Tess' eyes.

"I think we both left a few marks. Are we okay beyond that?"

"I think we'll recover." Tess ran her hand over Don's stubbled chin. "I probably have rug burn from this though." Don grinned at her.

"I have never heard complaints from ya before," he teased. Tess smiled back.

"Well, we were talking along those lines."

Don smiled wickedly and slid his hands along the hem of the t-shirt. "I could check." Tess batted at his hands.

"I don't think the food will be able to handle a third nuking."

"Chicken." Don rested his hands on Tess' hips and leaned his forehead against hers.

"I thought you were hungry." Tess ran her hands up his arms, over his shoulders and around Don's neck. Don gave her a soft kiss.

"I am, but I could be distracted." He buried his nose in her hair. "Besides. Ya smell like gingerbread again. How come ya always smell like somethin' to eat? Do ya know what that does ta me?"

Tess chuckled. "I think I've figured it out, yes." Tess leaned back against the counter and looked into Don's eyes. "It's just perfume." She slid her leg up Don's. "I've got others. Let's see. I've already worn Sex on the Beach. Then there's Cinnamon Toast…I may have worn that already too…Tiramisu…Sambuca…"

Don placed a finger over Tess' lips. "Ya can stop now. I got it. Thanks." He kissed Tess, tenderly and then a little deeper. A sudden pounding came at the door. They jumped back a little. Don threw Tess a questioning look. She shook her head and shrugged.

"Tess! Tess, are you in there? Teresa Suzanne Nagy, open this door!" Don watched the color drain from Tess' face. She pushed hard against Don. He let her go and stepped back. Tess looked frantically around. She dug her fingers through her hair. "Tess? I'll call the super if you don't let me in."

"Adam?" she called, her voice wavering slightly. "Um. Just a minute."

"Tess, just open the door. Mom called. Said you weren't coming home for Thanksgiving. That you sounded... Tess, she tried calling back. Didn't get ahold of you. She's frantic. Open this door and tell me what's going on."

"Adam, I…" Tess looked in panic at Don. She waved toward her bedroom. She practically ran that way. Don followed behind her. She quickly pulled on a pair of jeans. "Shit, shit, shit," she muttered under her breath. "Why the hell would he come all the way down from Boston? At this hour of the night?" Don tugged on his clothes. He looked over at Tess, who was trying to tie up her hair.

"That's yer brother out there?" Tess almost smiled at the note of panic in his voice.

"Yeah. That's my brother out there." She stopped and stood in front of Don. "Do I look presentable?"

Don refused to look her in the eye. "I'm a dead man. I know if you were my sister I'd be a dead man."

Tess shot him a disgusted look. "Then you'd better start praying that Adam doesn't have your temper."

Don looked at her, the worry written across his face. "Does Adam have a temper like mine?"

Tess sighed and tapped her foot waiting for Don to finish dressing. "I don't know. He left for college when I was eight. If he does, you should be quicker than he is. He's older. And he's a musician, not a cop."

"Thanks for yer encouraging words."

Tess shook her head. "I don't have time." They left the bedroom. Tess reached over and smoothed her hand over some winkles in Don's shirt. "Go and grab your plate out of the microwave."

"I don't really think that's gonna fool him," huffed Don, but he did what she said and tried to eat the food. It stuck in his throat. He grabbed the warm beer and took a swallow to try and wash it down. He coughed. Tess shot him a dirty look. _God, I feel like I'm back in high school and Julie Cheswick's dad just caught me feelin' her up._

"It's all I've got right now, Don. Please just go with it." Tess closed her eyes, said a brief prayer and settled her face into a neutral mask. She opened the door. Her brother stood there with a thunderous expression on his face. "Adam. You didn't have to come all the way down from Boston."

"What the hell is going on, Tess?" He looked past her into the apartment. Tess stood in the doorway. She didn't immediately answer him. "Can I at least come in?" Tess reluctantly stepped aside. Adam strode into the apartment, his coat floating behind him. He spun and looked at Tess, completely missing Don in the kitchen. "Mom called saying you weren't going home for Thanksgiving. That she tried calling you back and then she had Stephanie call you and you didn't answer."

"And that brought you all the way down from Boston?"

"Mom was a little panicked. She made a convincing argument for checking on you."

Tess rolled her eyes and shook her head. She could just imagine what her mom had told Adam. "I'm sorry I panicked Mom."

"But you aren't going home for Thanksgiving."

Tess bit her lip and shook her head. She could feel tears pricking her eyes. She took a couple of deep gulping breaths and wrapped her arms around her body. "One of my students was found murdered this morning. I have a wake to go to and a funeral on Friday. I didn't really feel like going home. I explained this all to Mom." Adam's mouth dropped open. His expression softened. He hugged Tess tightly.

"Geeze, Tess. Mom didn't say that." Adam hugged her tighter. "I mean she mentioned something about one of your students, but not that. I wouldn't have come down to bug you…" Adam trailed off as he saw Don sitting in the kitchen. Don ducked his head and looked down at his plate. "Teresa, there is a guy sitting in your kitchen. And he isn't Alex." He felt Tess stiffen. Adam released her and stepped away. Tess pushed her glasses up her nose and gave Adam a disgusted look.

"Alex and I broke up in June. You knew that." Tess sighed. She turned toward Don and waved him over. Don reluctantly got up and walked up to the pair. Tess linked her hand with his and gave it a slight squeeze. Don looked sheepishly at Adam. "Don, this is my brother Adam Nagy. Adam, this is Don Flack, my boyfriend." Tess looked from one man to the other. "Where are your manners you two?" They reached out and shook each other's hands and grunted. Tess rolled her eyes. Adam stood up straighter and looked Don up and down. He came up about two inches shorter, but was stockier built than the detective. Don eyed Adam warily still waiting to get throttled.

"So how long have you been dating my baby sister?"

"I'm 29, Adam," grumbled Tess. Adam ignored her and waited for Don to answer.

"Tess and I've been datin' for a while."

"How long 'a while'?" prompted Adam. Don could feel Tess tensing beside him. He stroked his thumb over her knuckles trying to calm her.

"Almost two months."

"Almost two months," repeated Adam drawing out the words.

"Oh for God's sakes, Adam." Tess dropped Don's hand and crossed her arms over her chest. "You want to hear it, so you can quit sizing each other up? I've been dating Don for almost two months. I met him in a bar during the playoffs. And I'm having sex with him. My business. Are we clear?" Both men just looked at Tess with open mouths. Tess shook her head and flopped down on the couch. She waved at them. "Go ahead. Beat the crap out of each other. Adam, go ahead and defend my honor. Don, go ahead and defend yourself. Just remember, Adam, you're the one who's going to have to explain to Christine why you messed your hands up." Both men just continued to stare at Tess. Tess glared back. Then Adam burst out laughing. He grinned at Don, who visibly relaxed.

"Does she always talk to you like this?"

Don smiled back. "Tess does have her moments."

"She learned from the best. Now you know why a call from our mother got me on a train down here."

"So the technique jus' gets refined with age?"

"Yes. Good luck, man." Now it was Tess' turn to stare speechless at the two men. Adam kept grinning and sat down next to Tess. He reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. "Tess, I am sorry about your student. Really. And as for..." Adam glanced over at Don. "I wouldn't use quite that introduction with our folks." Tess sat there blinking her eyes. After a few moments, she leaned her head back against the couch and closed her eyes.

"I shouldn't have used that introduction at all. It was pretty stupid."

"You're a little stressed right now." Adam looked up at Don. "Don't think you're in the clear though. I'm still debating the merits of kicking your ass to defend my baby sister's honor." Tess' eyes snapped open and she started to tug her hand away. "I'm kidding, Tess. You're right. It really isn't my business. Just not what I really expected to run into here."

"I wasn't really expecting you either." Tess looked over at her brother. "And I'll bet I'm stuck with you until morning."

Adam grinned. "'Fraid so. I'm sorry to spoil your plans."

Tess shrugged, trying to be nonchalant. "Plans? Who had plans?" Adam bit down on the smile that played on his lips.

Don nodded, taking her cue. "Yeah. I mean we both have work in the mornin'. I should be headin' out."

Adam just nodded, smiling. "Right." Adam stood up. He held his hand out to Don. "Well, then it's good to meet you Don. Hope to see you again." Don nodded and shook Adam's hand. Tess jumped up.

"I'll walk you down." Tess helped Don collect his stuff and started to leave with him.

"Hey, Tess, can I make a few calls while you're gone?"

Tess came back inside. "Let me get my phone." She ducked into the bedroom and grabbed her cell. She tossed it to Adam on her way out. She shut the door behind her and turned to Don standing in the hall. "I am so sorry." Don nodded and ducked his head.

"That isn't exactly the way I wanted ta be introduced ta yer family."

"No kidding." Tess reached behind her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Awkward wasn't the word for it." They waited for the elevator in silence. When the doors slid shut behind them, Don swung Tess into his arms. He gave her a quick kiss and leaned his forehead against hers.

"If things were reversed I woulda kicked his ass."

"Then I should be glad Adam had more restraint." Tess ran her finger over Don's cheek. "While you do look good in black and blue I don't think the greenish-yellow any bruises would turn would go with your eyes."

Don grinned at her. "I knew it. Ya only want me for my pretty face and hot body."

Tess frowned and shook her head. "You know that isn't true." She dropped her eyes. "Thank you for coming back tonight."

Don pulled her close. "Ya don't have ta thank me, Sweetheart. That's what I'm here for." Tess leaned into the embrace and let him hold her.

"Gee, and I thought you were into my brilliant mind. I didn't know you were a drama junkie."

"I'm into all of ya, Tess. Drama isn't my favorite. But since I love you, I gotta take the rest when it comes along." Don tilted Tess' face up. "'Sides. My life ain't exactly drama free. Which ya'll find out again on Thanksgiving when ya meet my family."

"Don, I don't…"

"Yer comin' on Thanksgiving, if I have ta truss ya up and drag ya there. You aren't spendin' the holiday holed up in yer apartment. Understand?" Tess just sighed heavily. "Good." The elevator reached the lobby. They stepped out and Don gave Tess another hug and kiss. "Ya goin' ta school tomorrow?"

Tess nodded slowly. "I need to. Waiting until later isn't going to make things easier." Don gave her a squeeze.

"Call me if ya need ta. Ya gonna be okay?"

Tess shrugged. "I'll deal."

"Tess, Sweetheart, I don't want ya ta jus' deal."

"Not much we can do about that, unless you have a way to change the past."

"I would if I could."

Tess gave him a small smile. "But you can't, so you won't." She gave Don a quick kiss. "I've got to get back upstairs, or Adam might rethink giving you a thrashing."

"That'd be bad. I'll talk ta ya in the morning. Okay?"

"No, but I don't have any choice, do I?"

Don reached out and touched Tess' cheek. "Night, Tess."

"Night, Don." Don stood in the lobby watching Tess until the elevator doors closed.

------------

A/N PS: Hope this warmed you all up for tonight's epi.


	12. With no reason why

A/N: See the intro for the standard stuff. Please R&R.

TrueBlue: Welcome! I'm so glad you like Tess. I like Tess too. She's ornery sometimes, but mostly fun. LittleCorinthian: I think we all have someone like Adam in our lives. I have two cousins who tried to keep me in line when I was younger. They've finally let up. SoccerB: Good to see you still hanging in! RS: No wondering when Bette will burst in on them half-clothed is not odd. Tess and Don need to be a little more careful.

* * *

Tess leaned her head back against the cool exterior and closed her eyes. She was not looking forward to going back to her brother sitting in her apartment. Tess trudged down the hall and back into her apartment. She stopped dead at the sight of Bette. Bette looked at Tess and raised her eyebrows.

"Imagine my surprise when I came back up here lookin' for you and found Adam sittin' here."

Tess balled her fists on her hips. "I'll bet not half as surprised as I was to find him on my doorstep in the first place." The trio stared at each other. Tess finally closed her eyes. "I'm not up for an in-depth discussion of my life with you two tonight." She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "It's been a horrendous day. I'm tired and I'm going to sleep. If you two want to stay up and discuss me, fine. Just do it quietly." Tess went into her bedroom and closed the door leaving the other two staring after her.

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Tess got up, hit the alarm and stretched. She opened her door and peered out. Adam was sitting at the kitchen table eating toast. He held up a coffee mug.

"It's already made. Do you have time for a cup?" Tess nodded and walked over to the table. She pulled out a chair and sat down. Adam poured her a mug of coffee, added sugar and milk and set it in front of her. "Are you in a better mood this morning?" Tess blew on the mug and took a tentative sip.

"Possibly. Why?"

"Are going to bite my head off if I bring up your boyfriend?" Adam made Tess toast with cinnamon and sugar. He set the plate on the table.

Tess took another sip of coffee. "Depends on what you plan on saying."

"Just be careful."

"I am."

"He seems nice."

"You hardly talked to him."

"You rushed him out the door too fast for me to talk to him," pointed out Adam. He sat back down. "Although, Bette filled me in some."

Tess shook her head. "That's just great. I hope you don't plan on tracking Don down before you leave town. I'd hate to have to call Christine and tell her she had to spring her husband out of jail. Assaulting a police officer is a crime you know."

Adam chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind should I get the urge to beat up your boyfriend." He took a sip of coffee. "Actually, Bette had nothing but nice things to say."

Tess raised her eyebrows. "Really? I didn't think Bette really liked Don."

Adam smiled. "I think his not leaving you alone last night won her over." Adam laughed at Tess' blush. "That's not what I meant. Maybe I should risk that jail time."

Tess shook her head. "No, please don't. And this is not a conversation I'm having with you."

Adam nodded and changed the subject. "Before Bette came in, I talked to Mom and Stephanie. Mom still isn't happy, but I think she understands a little better."

"And Stephanie?"

"She wants to meet your boyfriend." Adam munched on his toast, letting that bit of information sink in.

"What did you tell her?"

"That Mom overreacted and that when I got here you were being well taken care of by your boyfriend." Adam took a sip of coffee. "I left out the time lapse between my knocking and you answering the door."

"Thank you for small favors. What did you say that got Steph wanting to meet him?"

"There wasn't much to say. Probably why she wants to meet him. Are you planning on bringing him home for Christmas?"

Tess shook her head. "I don't know. Besides, when's the last time Stephanie made it home for Christmas?"

"Then maybe we could all get together in Boston for First Night."

"Don't you have a concert?"

"Three that evening actually. But you should get Don up there anyway. And maybe Stephanie would come. You three could hang and we could all have dinner on New Year's."

Tess frowned. "I thought Stephanie seriously into some guy. Wasn't his name John Kelly or something like that? Isn't he invited to this little get together?"

Adam shook his head. "And you growled at me for bringing up Alex. Steph and John broke up before you and Alex did."

Tess nodded slowly. "Oh, yeah. I guess it's a good thing that we have a dear, older brother to keep things straight for us." Adam rolled his eyes at her. Tess looked at her plate. "We'll have to see." She glanced at the clock on the microwave and finished off her coffee. "I've got to get ready for school."

Adam nodded. "Don't worry about me. I'll get out of here okay."

Tess nodded and headed to her room to get dressed. She turned back. "Adam thanks for coming to check on me."

Adam smiled. "That's what big brothers are for."

---------------

Tess came up the stairs from the subway. Her mind was focused on other things as she walked slowly into the light. A touch on her arm made her jump. She ducked her head and smiled when she spotted Don.

"Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Not yet. I wanted ta make sure yer okay."

"You could have called."

"I wanted ta see ya. Walk ya ta school."

"But you were too scared of Adam to pick me up from my apartment?"

"I didn't want ta get ya into any more trouble." Tess nodded and started walking. Don linked his fingers with hers.

"Adam invited us up to Boston for First Night," commented Tess.

"Really? What'd ya say?"

"That we'd have to see. Do you want to go? It's not a bad time."

Don shrugged. "We'll have ta see." They walked along in companionable silence. When they reached Hunter, Don slowed Tess down. He stopped at the base of the stairs. "Ya gonna be okay?" Tess took a deep breath and nodded slowly. Don pulled her into a hug and a quick kiss. "Call me if ya need ta. Anytime."

Tess fought the pricking in her throat and nodded. "I'll talk to you. Thank you."

"Not a problem, Sweetheart. Later." He gave her one more quick kiss and released her. Tess headed up into school. Don waited until she was inside before shoving his hands in his pockets and heading for his precinct.

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	13. For strong shoulders

A/N: See intro for the standard stuff. Please R&R. I am so sorry for the delay in this. I hope it was worth the wait.

Jamie: Welcome. I'm glad you're enjoying this. I hope you get some new epis soon down there. RS: We'll see about meeting Steph. I make no promises. Little Corinthinan: Glad you're hanging in there. SoccerBitch: Hope you like this chapter too.

Well, since there is little canon on Flack's family, I made some stuff up. Hope you don't find it too out of line.

* * *

Tess heard the knock on her door and ran her hands down over her skirt. She peered into the mirror and wondered for the 100th time if she should take her hair down. There was another knock.

"Keep your shirt on, Don," she muttered under her breath. Tess opened the door and let him in. Don smiled at her and gave Tess a quick kiss.

"Ya ready?"

Tess nodded. "I've just got to grab the bread and my coat and…" She notice Don was staring at her. "What?" Her hand went up to her hair. "It's the hair, isn't it? I look like my grandmother."

Don quickly shook his head. "No. Yer hair looks fine." Tess was still patting her head. Don reached over and took her hands in his. He tried catching Tess' eyes. She wouldn't look at him. "Are ya nervous, Sweetheart?" Tess didn't answer. Don pulled her into his arms. Her rocked her a little and kissed her hair. "Ya don't have ta be nervous. Yeah, my family can be a pain, but you'll do just fine." Tess mumbled something into the front of his jacket. Don let her loose. "What?"

Tess rolled her eyes at him. "Of course I'm going to be nervous. This is a big holiday and I'm meeting your family. It's a big deal."

"It's not a big deal."

Tess stepped back and balled her hands on her hips. She raised her eyebrows at him. "Exactly how many women have you brought home to meet your family?" Don looked away and refused to meet her eyes. "Oh, that many, eh?" she teased.

Don gave her an annoyed look. "Ya want the truth? Not a single one. Does that make it easier for ya?" Tess took a deep breath and shook her head. Don pulled her back against him. "See. Ya had ta bug me. And look what it did. Just got ya more worked up." Don rested his cheek against her hair and took a deep breath. "I wonder if Ma would notice if we were late?" He bent his head and nuzzled her neck. "Ya really have got ta stop wearing that scent, Tess." He kissed her ear. "We could skip dinner."

Tess gave him a slight push away. "Put it back in your pants and get your mind out of the gutter, Donald Flack." He just grinned at her. Tess shook her head. "And after dinner you'll be snoring away pretending to watch football."

Don traced his finger down her neck. Tess shivered a little. "Ya wanna take bets on that, Sweetheart? Ya might just convince me to show ya some of the more secluded parts of my parents' house."

Tess blushed furiously. "You wouldn't. Not at your parents'."

Don grinned, but shook his head. "Had ya goin' for a minute. Too many people around. I did warn ya that both my sisters seven kids under seven between 'em."

"Yes, and thanks for making me nervous again. You do know that your mom and sisters will be checking me out trying to decide how serious you are about me and if I'm right for you and the like."

Don shrugged. "I'm sure they've been doin' that for awhile now. Doreen flew in last night with her gang and I'm sure Deirdre arrived early this morning to help with the cooking."

"That's just great. I am totally doomed." Tess rubbed her stomach.

Don frowned at her. "Yer not gettin' sick, are ya?"

"No, just nerves."

Don reached over and squeezed her hand. "You'll be fine. You've survived hangin' wit Danny."

Tess grinned. "You'd better hope I don't repeat that."

Don laughed. "There's my girl. We should get going."

Tess nodded grabbed her apple bread from the counter and handed it to Don. She slid on her jacket and grabbed her purse. She linked her fingers through Don's and they headed out.

---------

Tess stood at the bottom of the steps and looked up. The curtain in the front window swished. Tess smiled.

She leaned into Don. "I think someone was watching for us."

Don smiled at her. "I'll bet. The house is full of little spies." He glanced at his watch. "We're not late, so it can't be they were waitin' dinner for us." He tugged on Tess' hand. "Ready?"

"Like I've got a lot of choice." Don just smiled and led her up the steps. The door opened as they reached the porch and a dark haired boy came flying out.

"Uncle Donny!" came the cry as he hit Don's legs. Don let go of Tess' hand and scooped the child up. He tossed him over his shoulder and spun around. The boy giggled hard.

"I swear that just a minute ago I was run down by a missile named Jake. Where did he go?"

"I'm right here," Jake called.

Don spun around. "Where? I don't see ya back here."

"Up here, Uncle Donny!"

Don held the boy up and looked at him. "Up here, ya say. Well, look at that. Ya are up there." Don set the boy back down and ruffled his hair.

"Mom said you'd play basketball with me. I've been practicing."

"Have ya? How about after I go inside and say hi to everybody? That okay?"

Jake gave a heavy sigh. "I guess."

"Jacob O'Connell, I told ya not to attack yer uncle before he even got in the door." A woman stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. There was no doubt she was Don's sister. They had the same hair and eyes.

Don grinned down at the boy. "Uh-oh. Guess yer busted." He pushed him back toward the door. "Go on. I'll find ya in a bit and ya can show me yer moves." Jake nodded and scurried into the house. Don placed his hand on Tess' back and steered her inside. His sister stood in the door and looked Tess over. Tess tried not to shrink down. As they reached the door, she held out her hand.

"Hiya, I'm Doreen, Donny's older sister. That was my oldest son, Jake. And you must be Tess." She gave Tess a bright smile. Tess smiled a little shyly back and shook Doreen's hand.

"Yes, Tess Nagy."

Doreen nodded. "Nice to meet ya." She glanced at the wrapped package in Don's hand. "Didn't Donny tell ya not to bring anything?" She looked accusingly at her brother.

"Yeah. I told her. Tess wouldn't come empty handed."

Tess looked down. "It's not a big deal. Really. I like cooking."

Doreen nodded and grinned. "Good thing. Cuz Donny here loves to eat."

Tess grinned back and gave Don a speculatory glance. "Really? Hadn't noticed that. Eats like a bird around me."

Doreen looked confused a minute and then burst out laughing. She tugged at Tess' coat and pulled her into the house. "Oh, I can see why Donny likes ya. Come on in."

Don groaned as he stepped inside. Tess turned and smiled at him. "I told you to just let me stay home," she said sweetly. Doreen started laughing again.

"Deirdre, ya have ta come here and meet Donny's Tess. He's found a girl that can finally keep him in line." Tess turned beet red at that comment, but allowed Doreen to lead her away. Don shook his head as he watched them go, a little worried that Tess would get along a little too well with his sisters. He hung his jacket in the hall closet and went into the living room.

Don dodged a couple of running bodies as he headed for the couch. His dad was sitting in his chair with command of the remote, Don's two brother-in-laws were sitting on each end. Don stepped over a toddler pushing cars across the floor and settled in the middle. As soon as he sat down, a baby was dropped into his lap.

Don picked up the baby slightly and looked over at the father a little bewildered. "Hey, Matt, what's up wit this?"

Matt stood up. "I gotta run for a sec. Just keep a hold of him until I get back." Matt dashed from the room. Don tried to pass the baby down the couch. The man at the other end shook his head.

"Oh, no. I have my own if I want a kid ta hold."

"Aw, come on, Mike."

"Matt stuck you with him. Have fun."

Don sighed and settled into the couch. He slid the baby into the crook of his arm and tugged the blanket a little closer around his thrashing arms. The baby whimpered slightly and Don bounced him. After a bit, the wiggly baby settled down. Don looked down. Eyes were closed and the baby was breathing peacefully. Matt came back and sat down on the couch.

"Ya want to give him back," he asked.

Don shook his head. "I'm fine. He's sleeping." Matt nodded and turned back to the TV.

Tess sat in a corner of the kitchen while Don's sisters and mother buzzed around her. She tucked her feet closer in and felt a little out of place. Don's mother stopped in front of her and smiled.

"Would you like to help, dear?"

Tess nodded vigorously. "Can I? I feel kind of silly just sitting here."

Don's mother nodded. "Okay. You can work on the rolls. The dough is over there in the bowl, under the cloth. The muffin tins are right next to the bowl."

Tess stood up, went to the sink and washed her hands. She looked over her shoulder. "Do you want just round rolls, or…"

"Whatever you'd like to do. We aren't picky." Tess nodded. She grabbed the butter and buttered the tins. She lifted the towel and dug into the dough, shaping it into cloverleaf rolls. Doreen and Deirdre looked over at her carefully making the rolls and elbowed each other. Their mother shot them a quelling look.

"So ya teach English at Hunter?"

Tess nodded. "Yes, but I started out at Kennedy with Teach America."

"How'd ya end up in New York?"

Tess shrugged. "I decided I wanted to be somewhere besides Toledo. I always wanted to come to New York."

"And ya met Donny how?" asked Deirdre.

Tess ducked her head. "In a bar," she mumbled.

Doreen laughed. "Don't be embarrassed about that. I met Matt in a bar too. He dumped a beer in my lap." Tess giggled. "Don't tell me Donny did that."

Tess smiled and shook her head. "He was worried about my safety." Both sisters raised their eyebrows. Tess ducked her head. "It was during the baseball playoffs. I wasn't rooting for the Yankees."

Doreen gasped. "Blasphemy. And Donny still asked you out."

Tess smiled. "Yes."

"Well, Dorie, it looks like our brother did something smart for a change."

"Okay, you two. No picking on Donny when he isn't here to defend himself and quit grilling Tess." The sisters rolled their eyes, but did what their mother asked.

---------

Later in the evening, Tess was seated cross legged on the floor with one of Mike and Deirdre's daughters cuddled in her lap reading a book. Don paused in the doorway and watched the pair for a bit. Deirdre stopped next to him.

"Hey, big brother," she whispered. Don glanced over and smiled and went back to watching Tess. "I like your Tess. She's nice."

"I think so," agreed Don.

"Don't screw things up." Deidre stepped away.

Don frowned at his sister and followed her. "Whatdaya mean by that?"

Deirdre turned back. "Exactly what I said. Ya haven't exactly been the settle down type. I just think ya should stick with Tess for a while."

"Ya hardly even know her. Maybe she's just putting on an act."

Deirdre rolled her eyes. "Gimme a break. Yeah, she's smart, but She couldn't be that good. And I've seen she won't take any of your garbage. Come on, even Dad likes her and he doesn't agree with you on anything."

"I don't need ya and Dorie pushing me, Dee."

"You need someone pushing ya, Donny. Yer thirty years old. Ya can't go chasing around the rest of yer life."

"I said lay off, Dee," growled Don.

"Fine, I'm jus' sayin'," she shrugged.

"I heard ya. Now lay off." Deirdre just rolled her eyes and walked away. Don went to the kitchen and dug in the fridge for a beer. When he shut the door, he found Tess there with her arms crossed over her chest watching him. She gave him a small smile.

"Interesting conversation?"

"Ya heard us?"

"I'm surprised the whole family didn't hear you."

Don shook his head and took a swig of his beer. "Wouldn't that be just terrific," he mumbled.

Tess drew her eyebrows together. "I didn't say anything to your sisters to give them the idea that…"

"I'm sure ya didn't that's just the way they are." Don leaned against the counter.

"I just don't want you to think that…" Tess shook her head. "I just… Never mind." Tess shook her head again, turned and walked away. Don swore softly under his breath and went to follow her. Before he could catch up, Jake was tugging at his arm. Don looked down at his nephew.

"You said you'd shoot some hoops with me. It's getting pretty dark outside." The boy gave him an accusing look.

"Grandpa has lights out back. Tell ya what. I'll flip 'em on and we'll head out. Okay?"

"Great! I'll go grab my ball." Jake jogged down the hall.

Don snuck up behind Tess and leaned in. Tess jumped a little at his breath against her ear. Don put a hand on her hip to steady her.

"Jake and I are gonna shoot some hoops and I was wondering if ya wanted to come out and watch? I could use a cheerleader."

Tess glanced over her shoulder. "I'm not the cheerleader type."

Don tugged Tess a little closer. "Oh, I bet you'd make a cute cheerleader."

"In your dreams."

"Ya may be right about that."

"Trouble."

"If ya won't come outside to cheer me on, how about a good luck kiss?" Tess glanced around and turned to face Don. She leaned up to give him a quick kiss. Don wrapped his arm around her and wouldn't let her end the kiss. He held her lips until she was breathless. He let Tess go and smiled. "I need a lot of luck."

"Against a seven year old?"

Don grinned. "He's been practicing."

Tess smiled and shook her head. She gave him one more quick kiss. "Try and keep up, old man. Don't wear yourself out too much."

"Hmm. Ya got plans or somethin' for me later?"

Tess just rolled her eyes and shoved at him. "Go play basketball."

"Yer sure ya don't want to be my cheerleader?"

Tess pushed him again. "Go on. Get out of here." Don chuckled and went to find Jake.

---------------

Tess hugged everyone as they left with vague promises to get together on Sunday for dinner. Don wrapped his arm around her shoulders and got them away before his sisters tried to talk Tess into staying the night. As they headed for the subway, Don kept his arm around Tess. Tess leaned into him smiling.

"Was that so bad?" he asked.

"No, not at all. And I really like your sisters. I learned some interesting things."

Don groaned. "Ya know ya can't believe everything they tell ya."

"So what can't I believe?" Tess smirked up at him.

"I dunno what they told ya. Just remember they're my sisters. I bet I could get some good stories about ya from Adam."

"You'd get better ones from Stephanie."

"When did ya say I'd get ta meet her? First Night in Boston?"

"I said maybe. Then again, maybe I'll keep you far away from my family."

"Scared, are ya? What deep dark secrets do ya have, Sweetheart?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" teased Tess. Don stopped and turned Tess towards him. He tilted her head up ad looked into her eyes. He reached out and stroked her cheek. Tess felt her heart speed up at what she saw in his deep blue eyes. "Don?" she asked quietly. He grinned at her and gave Tess a soft kiss. He barely lifted his head at the end of the kiss.

"I think Deirdre's right," he whispered before he kissed Tess again.

---------------


	14. Some other beginning's end

A/N: See the intro for a disclaimer. Please R&R. I can hear you breathing, just click the button. Thanks. Sorry about the delay.

S-B: TYK RS: Yeah, you gotta watch Don. Tess can hold her own though. CaffineKid: Glad you thought things rang true. Probably won't be seeing too much of Don's family, so don't get too attached. To all of those lurking readers, thanks for the hits. A teensy review is just as easy.

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Dim light filtered into the bedroom as Don stretched. He glanced over at the alarm clock. Just about time to get up anyway. He reluctantly kept his eyes open. He would rather snuggle back down under the blankets with Tess. He sighed. Tess really had to get up to. Don leaned over and kissed Tess lightly on the temple. She murmured slightly and pressed back against him. He groaned slightly. _That_ was not going to convince him to get out of bed.

"Tess Sweetheart, ya need ta get outta of bed." Tess rolled on her back and slowly opened her eyes. She silently reached up and ran a finger along Don's jaw. _Not helping. Not helping,_ his mind screamed. Tess smiled up at him.

"I know what you're thinking." Her fingers trailed down his neck. Don captured her hand and wove his fingers through hers.

"Do ya now?"

"Mmm. That you really have to get ready to go to work and that I need to get back home."

"If ya let me get ta work ya can grab a shower before you go."

Tess wrinkled her nose. "With no clean underwear? Ew. I'll shower when I get home." Tess gave him a quick kiss. "You go on. I'll make some coffee." Tess slid out of the bed and looked for her clothes. Don propped himself on his elbows and watched her wander around the room. Tess caught him staring and raised her eyebrows. "You are going to work, right?"

"Yeah. Unless you want me to go with you today." Tess sat down on the edge of the bed. She reached for Don's hand and held it for a few minutes. She looked at their hands and then finally up at Don.

"I can't begin to tell you how much that means to me. But you need to go to work. I'll be alright."

"Ya sure?"

Tess nodded slightly. "I think so. It's not going to be fun or easy, but I really can't expect you to take off work just to baby-sit me." Tess brought his hand up to her face and kissed his palm. "Thanks for offering though." Don slid his hand back to massage her neck. Tess tilted her head back. "You won't be getting that shower anytime soon if you keep that up."

"Maybe that's my plan," chuckled Don. He tugged Tess closer.

"How about you keep that plan in mind for later?"

"Howabout I pursue the plan now _and _later?" he countered.

"You're going to end up late."

"I'll shower fast and skip the coffee." Don ran his fingers along Tess' bare leg. Tess shivered. "Yer cold. Come back under here and warm up."

"I see. This is just about my health and well-being." Tess peeled her sweater over her head and slid out of her bra.

"Completely. I'd hate for ya ta get sick and not come out with us for drinks later."

Tess smiled and slid under the covers. She ran her leg along Don's. "That would be bad. After all, you've finally deemed me worthy of meeting everyone else."

Don ran his hands down her body, removing that last article of clothing. "It's wasn't that," he whispered against her neck. "I jus' didn't want to subject you to them."

Tess pulled away from Don a little. "You mean Danny is the best of them?"

Don groaned a little. "Ya know, Sweetheart, I really don't wanna be talking about Messer right now."

Tess chuckled. "No?"

Don raised himself over Tess. "No," he growled. Don leaned down and captured her lips. Tess smiled and wrapped her arms around Don's neck.

--

Tess pushed open the door to Sullivan's and scanned the room for Don. She sighed a little when she didn't spot him immediately. It had been a long day and Tess had considered calling and asking for a night in instead. Her spirits lifted when she spotted Danny at the bar. She crossed over and tapped him on the shoulder. Danny spun around and greeted Tess with a warm hug.

"Tiger Girl! Great to see you." He pulled back slightly. "Howya holdin' up?"

"Let's just say there have been infinitely better days." Tess craned her head around. "Don made it yet?"

"No. Dunno what's keepin' him. So, what are ya havin'?"

"I guess I'll start with a beer."

"Yer gonna start with a beer?"

"I may need to be carried home at the end of the night."

Danny called for one more beer. "Come on, Tess. Diving into the bottle isn't gonna make ya feel better."

"In the long run, no. In the short run…" Tess just shrugged. Danny shook his head and passed her a beer. He headed back into the bar and Tess fell in step with him. About halfway back she leaned over. "There's a very pretty brunette giving me the evil eye. I'm guessing that she's a certain girl Don keeps giving you grief about."

Danny looked at the table in the back. "Yeah. That's Montana."

"She doesn't look like she likes me very much right now. Good thing looks can't kill or you'd end up back on the clock." Tess fought a burst of giggles. "Are you going to put her out of her misery when we get there?"

"Maybe ya'd like to give me a little hand?"

"Are you asking me to perpetuate a little deception, Daniel Messer? Shame on you. Besides as soon as you introduce me the gig is up."

"I guess then I'll jus' have to enjoy her discomfort until we get to the table." Tess just laughed, earning her a darker scowl from Lindsay. When they reached the rest of the lab crew, Danny introduced her. Lindsay was still skeptical, but Stella held out her hand and Tess shook it.

"I heard rumors, but I figured ya were just a figment of Flack's imagination." Stella's smile broadened. "Then again, Flack's imagination ain't that good." Several people around the table laughed including Tess.

"Oh. I see how this works. I'm a little late and ya decide to flay me." Tess spun around and gave Don a smile. Don smiled back, reached out and touched her hair. "Hey, you. How are things?"

"The day has been …" Tess closed her eyes briefly. "Rough. Danny was trying to convince me that drinking my sorrow away is a bad idea and Stella was telling me no one believed I was real."

"Much as I hate to admit it, Danny's probably right."

"Did anyone get that on tape? Flack just said I'm right," cackled Danny.

"Guess everyone has a once in a lifetime. Even you, Messer." Don wrapped his arm around Tess' waist. "Now that ya all have seen her and verified Tess ain't some figment, I'm borrowing my girl. I _might_ consider bringin' her back if ya promise to behave."

"Don't worry, Tess. We'll keep an eye out and come rescue ya," assured Stella.

Tess looked up at Don and then back at Stella. "Oh, I'll be fine. If I didn't like him, I wouldn't be here."

"Yeah, Stel. For your info, some women actually find me interestin'."

Tess flashed Stella a wicked grin. "Yes, Don definitely has his uses," she purred and ran her hand up his arm. Don actually blushed and Danny tried not to spit a mouthful of beer across the table. Stella burst out laughing.

"Ya'll do jus' fine, Tess," Stella grinned.

Tess nodded her head demurely. "Thank you." She looked sweetly up at Don. "You planned to whisk me away somewhere?"

"Yeah," mumbled Don. "I don't think I can take you and Stel tearing me to pieces anymore." Don turned Tess away from the lab crew. They hadn't taken more than a step before Tess' knees buckled and she stank to the floor. Don slowly sank with her, his arm tightening around her waist. "Tess? Tess!" As she hit the floor, Tess' eyes re-focused. She blinked twice and looked into Don's concerned face. She closed her eyes opened them slowly.

"I am so sorry," she said shaking her head.

Don frowned. "Sorry? Why are ya sorry? Are ya okay?"

"I'm fine. Really. This…" Tess closed her eyes again. "Happens occasionally. Low blood pressure." Tess ducked her head. "I really haven't eaten much today and I've been a little stressed," she said sheepishly.

"Then let's get ya up and get ya something to eat." Don carefully helped her up. Tess looked around at everyone staring at her and looked at the floor.

"I'm sorry." Tess stared at the floor. "I feel like an idiot."

Don squeezed her hand. "No reason to feel that way."

"Yes. I should know better," lamented Tess. Don settled her into a chair and answered everyone's questions. Tess tried to shrink down in the corner. Don flagged down a waitress and Tess ordered some food. Several of the rest of the crew ordered things to eat too.

Tess started loosening up again as the food arrived. Plates were passed and food shared. People shared embarrassing stories of things they had happen to them in public.

--

"Last call!" shouted the bartender.

Don leaned down and whispered in Tess' ear. "Ready to head out, Sweetheart?" Tess nodded and started saying their goodbyes.

Stella gave her a wide smile. "Hope to see ya again, Tess. Unless ya wise up and get rid of Flack."

"Hey!" Don wrapped his arm tightly around Tess' waist. "I know for a fact that ya can't run Tess off that easily."

"Well, I'd have to a least see what alternative is being offered first," said Tess slyly. Don opened and closed his mouth several times. Tess laughed, turned in his arms and kissed him soundly. The group erupted into catcalls. Tess broke off the kiss and smiled up at Don. "Don't worry. You're stuck with me. I can't be run off that easily." Don gave Stella a triumphant grin.

"I'm gettin' ya out of here while ya still feel that way." They gave a last round of goodbyes and headed out.

Tess wrapped her fingers around Don's as they headed for the subway. As they stood on the platform, Don wrapped his arms around Tess and pulled her back against him. He rubbed his cheek against her hair.

"Ya sure you're doin' okay?"

Tess sighed. "I'm fine. I should have eaten better today. I just wasn't very hungry."

"Tell ya what then. I'll just drop ya home."

Tess turned slightly. "You can stay. I'm not an invalid."

"I've got ta get up early for shift. I don't want ta wake ya up."

"I don't mind."

"I know."

Tess turned completely so she could look up at Don. "I didn't mean to freak you out tonight."

Don shook his head and traced a finger along her jaw. "Ya didn't. It's not you. I'm jus' not getting enough sleep when I stay by your place." Tess started to say something. Don placed a finger over her lips. He smiled mischievously at her. "And I don't get a whole lot more when ya come by my place either."

Tess blushed a little. "It is not my fault you have no self-control, Mr. Flack," she teased. Don grinned back. Tess sighed and nodded. "I suppose I can deal." She turned and leaned her head back against Don's shoulder. "It's going to be awfully lonely though. I kind of like waking up with you there."

Don kissed her temple. "I know, Sweetheart. Me too." The subway screeched to a stop in front of them. They broke apart and boarded.

--


	15. I close my eyes, begin to pray

A/N: See the intro for the standard disclaimers. Well, now that I coaxed my muse back from her extended spring break (There are reasons she's named Perdita), and has decided I am worthy of posting, I have some more chapters for you all. Hopefully, they've been worth waiting for.

Caffeine Kid, Soccer-B, and RS: As always, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for your reviews. You all are the best. Thanks for putting up with my flakiness.

* * *

Tess sat cross-legged on the floor with her back against the tub. She tried not to look at the edge of the sink. She brought her knees up to her chest and gripped them tight, resting her chin on her knees_. Three times. Three times same result._ _What the hell am I going to do? Stop swearing for one thing._ Tess closed her eyes and took a deep breath. A loud knock sounded on the bathroom door and Tess jumped.

"Hey, Tess! You don't live here by yourself. I gotta get in there," called Bette from the other side.

Tess jumped up. She poured the plastic cup into the toilet and threw it in the trash. She quickly gathered up the three wands, the two boxes and looked frantically around. _Where could she stash this stuff? God, this would be one day that Bette decided to sleep here._ Tess spun around. There was no where safe to hide the debris. She grabbed a towel and wrapped everything inside.

"Come on, Tess! You weren't making that much noise a minute ago. Quit contemplating life and let me in."

Tess flushed the toilet and watched the water swirl around. She clutched the towel to her chest and tried to calm down. After several deep breaths, she turned, unlocked the door and opened it, a very fake smile pasted on her face.

"Sorry. Didn't know you were home," she mumbled. Tess slid past Bette, the towel still gripped tight to her chest. Bette frowned at her.

"Peter had an audition early this morning, so I let him rest." Bette looked at the bundle Tess was clutching. "What's up with the towel?"

Tess shook her head. "Nothing." She looked at Bette. "I thought you were all hot to get into the bathroom? What's up with the twenty questions?"

Bette rolled her eyes. "It was one question."

"Well, don't take too long. I still have to take a shower."

Bette grinned. "Got a hot date with your policeman?"

Tess blinked rapidly, panic rising. "Um. No." Tess closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Don's working. They've been a little short."

Bette frowned at Tess again. "Everything alright with you, Tess? Don didn't dump you, did he?"

_Not yet_. Tess choked down the rising panic again and shook her head. "No." She shook her head harder. "No. Things have just been hectic. For both of us." Tess struggled to keep her face from betraying anything else.

Bette scrutinized her friend. "Are you sure?" Tess nodded. "Okay. I'll be right out." Tess nodded again and struck a casual pose.

As soon as the door shut, she scurried to her bedroom, shut the door and sat on the edge of her bed. She unwadded the towel and spread it open across her lap. One of the white wands clattered to the floor. Tess picked it up and carefully lined all three of the tests next to each other. All three read exactly the same thing. Positive. _And what was positive about it?_ Tess stared at the sticks, as if by sheer force of will she could get them to read differently. Bette knocked on the door.

"All clear."

"Thanks," replied Tess. She wadded up the towel and pushed it into the back corner of her closet shelf. She opened the door and smiled at Bette.

Bette watched her a little. "I'm pretty much free today. We haven't had a girl's day out together in a while. You up for some serious shopping and gossip?"

Tess bit her lip and shook her head. She leaned against the door frame. "I'd love to Bette, but I've got some things I've gotta do today. Sorry."

"Not a biggie. I just thought since we both seemed to be at loose ends…" Bette shook her head. "Like I said, no biggie. Don't hog all the hot water."

"I'll try to leave you a little," smiled Tess.

------------

Tess got off the subway and slowly climbed the stairs back to street level. As she stepped into the sunshine, she blinked a few times and took a deep breath. She started up the block. A few feet later she abruptly stopped. A man and a woman stood on the sidewalk wearing sandwich boards emblazoned with gruesome pictures. A couple of other people were shoving pamphlets at women that tried to pass them on the sidewalk. Some of the women were being quickly escorted up the steps of the discrete brownstone and into the clinic. Tess felt her stomach lurch at the images being paraded. She ducked her head and made her way up the street.

"Don't be a murderer."

"Your choice should be your baby."

"There are other options."

Tess brushed off the pamphlets being trust at her and tried to tune out the shouting. Tess felt someone grab her elbow and she tried to pull away.

"It's okay. I'm here to help you get inside. You're doing fine. Just keep your head down and ignore them." Tess nodded slightly and allowed herself to be ushered inside the building. When she got inside, she looked at her escort. An older woman smiled softly at her. "You'll be fine, no matter what you decide."

Tess shook her head. "I'm not here to…" Tess took a deep breath. "I just need to find out. I haven't even really found out."

"Everything will be fine," the woman said calmly. "Just remember you don't have to justify yourself to them." She nodded toward the door. "Your choice is between you and whoever guides you." She smiled reassuringly again at Tess. "Off to ferry another one through." She left Tess standing in the hall.

Tess made her way into reception room and signed in. She sat down in one of the chairs, picked up a magazine and pretended to read it. She looked over the top of the magazine at the other people in the room. Most looked younger than her. Some sat and whispered to companions. Some stared into space, glazed expressions pasted on their faces. Tess wondered what she looked like to them. The receptionist called her up and handed her a clipboard of papers.

"Please fill these out. We will accept cash or credit for all services. No personal checks. Wait for your name to be called and then take the clipboard in with you."

Tess returned to her seat and worked her way through the paperwork. Other women came and went. A familiar tune broke into the quiet murmur of the room. Tess felt a panic tighten around her chest. She looked guiltily around and fished into her purse. She fingered the phone into silence and bit her lip. A single beep let her know she had voice mail. She ignored it. Finally, she was called into the back.

---------------

Tess stepped onto the stoop and scanned the street looking for the fastest escape route. She ducked her head and plowed down the street. When she was clear, she slowed her pace. _Think, think, think,_ sang the little voice in her head. Tess looked for someplace to sit down and re-group. She spotted a Starbucks and made a beeline for it. She stood in line and tried to decide what to have_. I suppose caffeine really should be off my menu._ Tess gave a small shudder at the thought of going caffeine-free. Still she ordered a milk steamer when she got to the counter. She sat down on a stool facing out and sipped her steamer. Suddenly she remembered that Don had called her. She reached for her phone, but abruptly stopped. _He called you while you sitting in a clinic waiting… What are you going to tell him? Are you going to tell him? What are you going to tell everybody?_ Tess blinked rapidly to stem the tears prickling her eyes and causing her throat to tighten. She took a deep breath and a sip of milk. Tess sat several moments more trying to still her thoughts. She had to call him. She wouldn't tell him anything over the phone, but she had to call him back, otherwise he'd wonder what was up. Tess reached for her phone again and pressed the speed dial key for Don. She waited for him to pick up.

"Hey, Sweetheart. Took ya long enough," he teased.

Tess winced. "Sorry. I was…I was in the middle of something."

"Are ya okay?"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning…is somethin' wrong? Ya don't sound OK."

"I'm OK." Tess forced herself to sound normal. _Technically, it was true._ _She was just pregnant, not dying or anything._

"I've missed ya. Our schedules have been kind of…"

"I know." Tess sighed. _She _had_ to talk to him. Putting it off wasn't going to make it go away. _A darker voice piped in._ It could._ Tess shuddered at that thought. "I could bring Korean by your place tonight."

"Korean? Yer pullin' out the big guns. What's up?"

"Something has to be up for me to bring take out? If you don't want Korean, something else then."

"I don't really care what we eat, Tess. I'm just lookin' for you."

"Oh."

"Yer turning read, aren't ya?" Tess didn't answer. "God, I've missed ya so much, Sweetheart. I'll see ya later."

"Ok. What time?"

"I should be home by about 6:30. Sound good?"

"Fine."

"Good. I love ya, Sweetheart."

"Thank you. I love you too. Later, then." Tess snapped her phone shut. She stared at the time display. 1:45. Less than five hours to figure out how to keep the world from crashing further.

--------------


	16. Call me the old man

A/N: You know where to look for the disclaimers. Warning: there's swearing in here. And a bit of a rollercoaster. Hang on tight.

Funky: Welcome and thanks for the review. Lane: Nice to see ya! See what happens when you wander. Well, I wandered too, so we're even. Although, I have yet to put in my final review on your fic. Loved it, by the by. Soccer-B: TYK. FlackLover: New tag, eh. Good to see you here still. RS: Heh, heh, heh. Glad to see I can still throw you for a loop.

Hope this next bit lives up to what you expect.

* * *

Don glanced at the clock on his dresser as he came out of the shower, toweling his hair. Tess would be here any minute. Maybe he should slow down. Then he'd have to greet her in just a towel. He grinned to himself. His stomach growled. Don shook his head and got dressed. He was pulling a polo shirt over his head when the first knock sounded. He padded barefoot out to the living room and opened the door. 

"Hey, Sweetheart. Right on time," he grinned down at her.

Tess avoided his eyes and held up the bag. "Hope you're hungry. I couldn't decide what I wanted, so I brought extra."

"Ya know me. Always hungry." Don pulled Tess into the apartment and shut the door. He took the bag from her and set it down. He wrapped Tess into a tight embrace. "I've missed ya so much."

Tess allowed herself to settle against him. Tears pricked her eyes. She snuggled closer. "I've missed you too."

Don traced his hands over her shoulders and down her sides to her hips. He kissed her temple and then her ear. He pulled back a little and tilted Tess' face up. He thumbed away a tear that escaped the corner of her eye. "Maybe ya should just move in with me. Then it wouldn't matter what our schedules were." Tess' eyes went wide. Her knees refused to support her weight. Don felt her slipping and slowly lowered her to the ground. Tess' brought her knees up to her chest and worked at controlling her breathing. Don leaned on her knees and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "That wasn't exactly the reaction I was expecting." Tess looked back at him, gulping air like a dying fish. Don frowned. "Tess, are ya gonna be sick?" Tess took a couple more deep breaths and shook her head.

"No. I just…."

Don smiled, picked up her hand and kissed the palm. He folded her fingers over and held her hand still. "I know we haven't been datin' long and all that. Let's eat and ya think about it for a bit. We can keep talkin'. Okay?" He carefully helped Tess up. She was still unsteady on her feet and her face was creased with worry. Don reached out and pulled her close again. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart. I didn't mean to spook ya. Okay?" Tess nodded. Don kissed her hair and let her go. "Why don't ya set the table?" Tess nodded again and went to go get plates. Don picked up the bag of food and felt it. _Still plenty warm._ He set the bag in the middle of the table and headed for the fridge. "So do ya want a beer?"

"No," said Tess, carefully reaching down plates.

Don started to rummage through the fridge. "Okay. I think there's still some of that wine you like buried back here. It'll take a bit to get up to room temp."

"I don't want any wine. Thanks."

Don nodded and grabbed a beer for himself. He set it on the table and turned back to Tess. "What you need something stronger to think about things?"

Tess shook her head slightly and refused to look at him. "No. I'll just have a water."

Don frowned hard. "Just have a water. What's up with ya?"

Tess stood stock still. "Nothing," she whispered quietly. She stared down at the plates.

"Tess?" Don reached out and touched her hand. Tess jumped and the plates hit the floor, shattering. Tess dropped to her knees and started picking up the pieces. Don squatted down beside her and reached out for her wrist. Tess gripped the shard of plate tight in her fist. Don looked from her panic stricken face to the piece plate in her hand and back. He looked down at her hand. A small dot of red appeared at the end of the broken plate. Don gasped and started to pry her hand open. "Jesus, Tess. Let go, Sweetheart. Come on. Let go." He got Tess to drop the piece of plate. He stood up and ran his hand over his hair. "It was just a suggestion. I didn't mean to…" He looked down at Tess. Her shoulders were shaking hard. "Jesus." He grabbed a napkin off the table and held it to her palm. Don coaxed her up and over to the couch. He pulled Tess down next to him and into his arms. "I didn't mean to spook ya, Sweetheart. Jus' forget I said anything."

Tess started to shake her head hard. "You don't understand," she mumbled into his shirt front.

Don pushed her a little away, so he could see her face. Tess looked down. Don traced a hand over her cheek. "No, I don't think I do."

"I went to a clinic today," whispered Tess softly.

"You went to a clinic." Don frowned at her. "Tess, what's wrong?" Tess looked up at him. The anguish in her eyes stabbed his heart. He cupped her chin in his hand.

Tess closed her eyes. She took a deep, shuttering breath. "I'm…"

"Yer what?" Don tried to get Tess to look at him. "Married? Engaged?" he teased. Tess didn't react. "Dying? Pregnant?" Tess' eyes flew open. Don's hand dropped from her face. He searched her eyes. "Yer pregnant?" Tess' eyes flicked away. "Ya went to a clinic before you even…" Don slid away.

Tess shook her head. "I just needed to know for sure. I took three tests this morning, but I just needed to know for sure." Tears started to stream down Tess' face again. She dug at her cheeks with her fist. "So, really, I'm fine. Just pregnant."

"With my baby?" Don caught the burning glare she shot him. He held up his hands. "That didn't come out right."

"You think?" Don flinched a little at the tone of Tess' voice.

"It ain't like I've heard that before." Tess glared at Don again. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I was thinking of movin' in together. Which is a pretty big thing and ya hit me with this. I jus' don't know what to say, Sweetheart."

Tess brought her knees up. She closed her eyes. "I know. Believe me I know." She stood up suddenly and wrapped her arms around herself. "Maybe I should go for now."

Don looked up at her. Tess almost burst into tears. He looked as lost as she felt. "Yer jus' gonna drop a bomb like that and leave." He held out his hand. "Don't leave, Tess."

Tess looked up at the ceiling and bit her lip. Tears started running down her cheeks. "Maybe we both need to think about this. What we're going to do."

"Ya can't think with me here?" Tess winced as his voice cracked a little. "We need to think together, Tess." Don stood up and pulled Tess close. Tess melted against him, rocking slightly. "Are ya as terrified as I am right now?" Tess looked up at him and smiled slightly. She ran her hand up his chest and touched his cheek.

"This from the guy that was blown up."

Don gave her a weak smile back. "That was easy. I was out cold." Don ran his hands along Tess' sides, touching her lightly. "How…I mean what made you think yer pregnant? We've been careful."

Tess closed her eyes and shook her head. "Antibiotics. They interfere with the pill."

"But I wore a condom," he insisted.

Tess shook her head again. "I kept telling myself that too." She sank down on the couch and looked at a spot in front of Don's feet. "I kept turning things over in my mind." She shook her head. "We weren't always careful. Almost, but not always." Don looked at her in confusion. Tess took several deep breaths. She didn't want to bring it up. Don had just started to settle things on that front. She didn't want to dredge it up again. "I'm seven and a half weeks pregnant." Tess waited for Don to put the date together in his mind. She heard his quick intake of breath and looked up. Her heart broke at the look of pain etched into his features.

"I gotta go." Don turned.

Tess reached out to grab his hand. Don shook her off and stomped away. "Don? Please." Don jammed his bare feet into a pair of shoes. He grabbed his wallet and jacket.

"I'm sorry," he said, not looking at Tess. "I jus' gotta go. I'm sorry." He bolted out the door. Tess made no move to go after him.

Once Don was outside, he slammed his hand hard into the wall. He leaned his head next to his hand. He had talked about consequences over Truby's arrest with Mac. In his wildest dreams, he never considered this would be one of them. Don glanced at his apartment door. He shook his head and headed down the hall.

Danny raised his eyebrows as Don slipped onto the stool next to him. Don ordered a shot and a beer. He downed the shot and ordered another. Danny watched him knock back that one too and start on the beer.

"Fight with Tiger Girl?"

Don shook his head and took a long draw on his beer. "Nope. Asked her to move in."

"A little soon, dontcha think? So she turned ya down?"

"Nope." Don took another long drink. "Didn't answer me on that."

"So yer here why?" Don didn't answer Danny. He looked at the beer in his glass. "Did she jus' walk out?"

Don shook his head again. "Nope. Far as I know, she's still sittin' in the apartment."

"You walked out?" asked Danny incredulously. "Ya asked Tess to move in wit' ya and then ya left her there?"

Don drained his beer. "Yep." He set the glass down heavily.

"Yer crazy." Danny shook his head.

Don looked over at Danny. "Tess is pregnant."

Danny choked on his beer. He wiped his sleeve over his mouth. "What the heck did ya jus' say?"

"Tess is pregnant." Danny started to open his mouth. Don pinned him with a fierce look. "Ya'd better not ask that or I'm gonna smack ya."

Danny rolled his eyes. "That didn't cross my mind. I was gonna point out that yer not a couple of teenagers. Ya both know how these things work."

Don called for another beer. "No, shit. Thanks for pointin' that out ta me." Don took a drink of his second beer and flashed Danny a bitter smile. "I didn't tell ya the best part yet." He took another gulp of beer. "This is the kicker. This is why I'm sittin' here. Guess when I knocked 'er up?" Jus' guess." Don watched Danny intently.

"I dunno. On her birthday."

"I didn't know Tess on her birthday."

"And yers is comin' yet." Danny thought a minute. "Shit. I dunno. When?"

Don looked away. "The day Truby was busted."

"Fuck."

"Well, yeah. That's what we did."

"That's not what I meant."

"'Bout sums it up though, doesn't it?" said Don morosely.

Danny just shook his head. "What are ya gonna do?"

"We didn't talk about that."

"No, yer girl told ya she was pregnant and ya walked out on her."

"That was stupid."

"Ya think?"

Don glared at him. "I said it was stupid. But when she told me when…" Don shook his head. "I screwed up, Danny. I love Tess. God knows I do, but this…this…"

"Don, Tess told ya about the biggest thing yer ever gonna hear and ya walked out on her. That's screwin' up." Danny took the rest of Don's beer out of his hand. "Go an' track Tiger Girl down. Beg her to forgive ya for walkin' out. Talk ta her and figure out what to do next."

"Oh, and yer such an expert on this. How many girls have you knocked up?"

"That ain't the point. How much deeper ya gonna dig yerself?"

"It ain't that easy, Danny."

"I didn't say it was. What I said is that yer an idiot for walkin' out. What the hell do ya think Tess is thinkin' right now?"

"That I'm an asshole."

"I told ya ya weren't stupid. I'll take care of yer tab. Get out of here. Find Tiger girl. Talk to her. Ya don't have to plan out the next twenty years tonight. Ya jus' have ta talk. Block things out and yer gonna screw up even more. Now, go on and git outta here." Don nodded and stood up.

"Thanks, Danny," he mumbled.

"Not a problem. Jus' name yer kid after me."

"Not a chance. I ain't gonna saddle them with that handicap."

Don left the bar. He reached for his cell and cursed. It was back at his apartment. He looked around for a pay phone. He finally spotted one and went over. He dropped in his money. _Damn, these things have gotten expensive._ Don dialed Tess' number. It went to voice mail. Don leaned his head against the partition.

Tess, sweetheart. I'm sorry. I'm a total ass. I'm gonna find ya. We…we… I dunno. I'm jus' gonna find ya. We'll go from there. Ya can't call me back. I left my cell back at my place. I'll jus' find ya. I love ya and I'm sorry." Don hung up the phone. He headed for the subway.

A bleary eyed Peter opened the door. Don looked at him sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Sorry ta bother ya. I was upstairs. Tess wasn't there. I was wondering if Bette knew where she was." Peter nodded and shut the door. A little while later, Bette opened the door.

"She was supposed to be with you."

"I know."

"Ya have a fight?" Bette yawned.

"Not exactly. Did she talk ta ya?"

"Not since this morning. I have no clue where she is. I'm not gonna have ta beat ya up am I?"

"Can I take the Fifth on that?"

"For tonight. I'm tired. I'll kick your ass another day."

"Thanks for the reprieve."

"Do you need to get into the apartment?"

Don looked down. "I don't know. She might be in there and not talking ta me."

Bette nodded. She disappeared and came back holding a key. "When you're done just shove it under the door here."

"Ok. Thanks, Bette."

Bette nodded and yawned. "Sure thing. Jus' remember to remind me to kick yer ass."

"Um. I'll do that," replied Don. Bette nodded, yawned and shut the door.

Don bounded back upstairs to Tess' apartment. He opened the door. The apartment was dark. Don flipped on a light and looked around. Tess wasn't there. Don turned around a few times trying to decide where else to look for her. He turned the light back out, left and locked the door.

Don opened the door to his apartment. It was dark here too. He sighed in frustration and pounded the door frame.

"You're going to hurt your hands if you keep that up."

"Tess?" He flipped on the light. Tess sat up blinking.

"Who else would be sitting in your apartment in the dark?"

Don went over and knelt down in front of her. "You've been here the whole time?" Tess nodded. "I looked all over. I called ya."

"I know."

"Ya didn't answer."

Tess raised her eyebrows. "You really expected me to?"

Don looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry. I'm an idiot."

"Yes, you are," agreed Tess.

Don reached out and took her hand. "I love ya, Tess."

"You don't have to say that."

"I'm not. I've told ya that before. This doesn't change that. I shouldn't have walked out. That was stupid." Tess started to say something. Don cut her off. "Ya don't have to agree with me again. And I really meant what I said earlier about movin' in."

"Don, I don't…" Don placed a finger over Tess' lips.

"Don't say no. Think on it. I had already asked you. It's not about the baby. Okay?"

"I guess."

Don looked up into Tess' eyes. "I wanna kiss ya. Will ya let me?" Tess nodded slightly. Don pulled her down into his lap. He traced his hands over her face and kissed her lightly. Tess kissed him back. Don threaded his fingers into her hair and held her still. He leaned his forehead against hers. "What if I wanna do more than jus' kiss ya?"

Tess smiled. "Isn't that what got us into trouble in the first place?"

Don pulled away slightly and gave Tess a shocked look. "Ya mean it ain't jus' from kissin'?" Tess punched him in the shoulder and Don kissed her breathless. Tess shifted until she straddled Don's legs. She rocked against him. Don closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath.

"Are you still going to want me like this when I'm as big as a house?"

"Yer not gonna get as big as a house." Don kissed her again.

"Want to bet?"

"No. That's the last thing on my mind right now."

"Well, it's going to become an issue."

"I know. An' we'll deal with it when it comes. Not tonight." Don slid his hands slowly down Tess' body. She arched against him. Don leaned back, pulling Tess to the floor on top of him.

"You have something else in mind for tonight?" asked Tess, leaning down and kissing him.

Don raised his hips under her. "Whatdaya think?"

"I think you might."

"Not just might."

"I could go along with that."

"Jus' could?"

"More than just." Don grinned and kissed Tess soundly.


	17. I think I think too much

A/N: Disclaimers are still in the same place. Check them out and don't sue. There's swearing. And things are intense.

Omigod! She's back. Yep. Sorry for the very long, long delay. Um. Soooo, while I was gone...had a baby. Yes, really. I'd been trying for awhile and finally! _No, I was not pregnant when I started or planned this fic_. Seriously. I'd pretty much given up. Anyhow, the pregnancy sucked all my energy away, so I basically crashed after work every night. No energy for general life, let alone fanfic. Sorry.

But I am back now and Perdita is playing nice, so I should get this train back on track. Not that things are pretty now. Bear with me and them.

Thank you sooo much to those that tripped over my fic while I was AWOL. It was nice the see the reviews pop up.

I hope it was worth the wait.

* * *

Don looked down at Tess. In the mostly dark room he could barely make out her features_. Would the baby have Tess' nose?_ Don shifted to his back and stared at the ceiling. _A baby. There was_ _going to be a baby. Not in his wildest…Didn't matter. Would she have Tess' hair?_ Don closed his eyes and tried to picture a little girl with honey brown braids. It wasn't as hard as he thought. He watched the dream child run around._ She looked over her shoulder and laughed. She wasn't such a child anymore. A guy ran to catch up with her. The guy pulled her close… Hey, get yer hands off._ Don's eyes snapped open. He shook the ghosts out of his mind. _Didn't even have the baby yet and here he was worrying about boys. Maybe the baby'd be a boy. That would be easier._ Don pondered that for a bit. _He wouldn't be so tough on his kid. Let him do what he wanted. So he'd grow up pansy-assed_, growled voice from a dark corner. Don shook his head again. He glanced over at Tess._ How could she sleep so peacefully? She's growing yer kid, Flack. Wears a body out._ Don sighed. 

_Maybe we should get a house. A kid should have a yard. And a dog. You never had a dog,_ one of the voices in his head pointed out. _Exactly_, another countered. _But this kid should have a dog. An apartment was no place for a kid and a dog._ _You haven't even gotten her to agree to move in wit ya. But she would wouldn't she. She had to. Why? Plenty of people have kids without living together or even seeing each other._ Don scooted up and looked down at Tess. _She wouldn't do that, would she? They'd get married. There was no way that his kid…_ Don eyes opened in panic for a moment. _Tess said she'd been a t a clinic. Maybe, she…_ Don wiped his hand over his face.

Tess cracked an eye open. "Do you wanna talk?"

"I didn't mean to wake ya."

"I wasn't really sleeping anyhow." Tess half smiled at Don's incredulous look. "Really." Tess slid over and ran her hand over the floor until she found a shirt. She sat up, pulled it over her head and wrapped the bedding around her waist. "We should talk. Here? Or should we get some coffee and food?" Don's stomach growled. Tess grinned and shook her head. "Food it is then." Tess slid out of bed and started looking for her clothes. Don silently watched her. Tess finished dressing. She stood in the doorway watching Don for a bit. He sat watching her. Tess went over and sat on the edge of the bed. She started to reach for Don's hand, but then let hers drop to the comforter. Don stared at it. Tess pulled her legs up and crossed them. She folded her hands in her lap and watched Don. "Do you want to just go back to sleep? Or not sleeping, as the case may be?" Don didn't answer. Tess sighed, reached up and started to fiddle with her hair. "Should I just go?" Don still sat silently. Tess sighed and got up. She started for the door.

"Do ya want this baby?" he asked in almost a whisper. Tess paused in the doorway. She leaned her head against the door frame with her back to him. Several long moments passed. Don could feel his chest tighten.

"We've only known each other for what? About ten weeks or so?"

Don felt both body and soul slump. "So, ya don't."

Tess didn't turn around. "That's not what I said."

"I heard what ya said. It wasn't yes." Don's voice was sharp.

Tess slowly turned around. "Do _you_ want this baby?"

"I don't…" Don looked at the ceiling. He could feel tears pricking his eyes. _His baby. Did he want his baby?_ _Who wouldn't want their own baby? Come on, Flack, you see it all the time. Some people…_ Don pushed down the sick feeling rising in his stomach. He looked at Tess. "Ya said ya went to a clinic…"

Tess shook her head and wrapped her arms around her body. "Just to find out. It's Saturday. Not like I can drop in at my regular doctor's office." Tess shook her head. "I didn't want to wait to find out."

"But would ya…" Don watched Tess. He took several deep breaths. "If ya don't want the baby, please don't get rid of it. Him. Her. Whatever. I don't want ya to get rid of the baby. Please." Tess bit her lip. She dug at her eyes with a fist.

"You didn't ask for this. It's not…"

"My responsibility? Yeah, it is. This is my baby."

"I don't want you to feel obligated."

"Throwin' out the big words now?"

Tess shrugged. "It's true. You didn't ask for this."

"You didn't either. Too late for that though, ya know?"

Tess nodded. "I know," she answered quietly. "But it's not so simple, you and I. I mean, we want to avoid talking, we have sex. Look at tonight. How healthy of a relationship is that?"

"We don't yell at each other. Tear each other apart."

"Yet."

"Your folks like that?"

Tess shook her head. "No, my parents and great together. They're best friends. But they've known each other almost forever. My mom was one of the first people my dad met when he escaped to Toledo."

"So, only people who've known each other forever should be together?"

"That's not what I said."

"Sounds like that. You'd kind of be stuck seeing as how you ain't from New York. 'Sides a little late for that now. We've got a forever kind of link. Unless…" Don's gut got that queasy, sinking feeling again.

Tess sighed. She shook her head silently for a few moments. She looked carefully at Don. "I couldn't. So whatever else, there's going to be a baby." Don let out an audible breath. Tess closed her eyes briefly and bit her lip. She looked at Don again. "You really thought I might…"

"Well, ya weren't exactly saying no."

"Don, whatever else shakes out of this, I could never do that." Tess waved her hand at him. "And it's not just a being raised Catholic thing. I…I just couldn't do that."

"Good," he said nodding. "I mean…" Don stopped. "Well, just good." Don looked down and then back up at Tess. "I meant it about ya movin' in here. Even before ya told me about the baby. I mean I really do want ya here."

Tess looked down at the floor and didn't say anything for several moments. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea right now." Tess didn't look up.

"Whatdaya mean that's not such a good idea?" Don felt his temper rising and tried to keep it in check. "I asked ya before…before."

"I know, I just don't think that it's such a great idea right now."

"Well, when do ya think it might be a great idea?" Don growled. "When our kid's in high school or somethin'?"

Tess took several deep breaths. "I just don't want to jump into anything."

"So yer sayin' that ya just want to live across town and raise my baby…"

"That's not at all what I said. I just said that I don't want to jump into anything…"

"A little late for that."

"No, it isn't. I'm not going to move in with you or marry you just because I'm having your baby."

"I asked ya before I knew about the baby."

"But I already knew. I can't make this decision right now. Please…"

"Well, don't take too much time over it. It'll be pretty obvious in not too long…"

Tess straightened up. She dug her fists into her hips. "No kidding? Will it?" Tess ground out sarcastically. "I'm not some stupid teenager that let her boyfriend knock her up. I'm just a careless adult that let her boyfriend knock her up. I've passed the Health Ed class. I know what happens. I'm just not running right down to city hall just so you can satisfy some honor thing you have going right now."

"No. Yer just saying that you wanna let my kid grow up without his father."

"Or _her_ father. And I didn't say that at all." Tess looked up at the ceiling and took several deep breaths. "This is exactly why I'm not going to just get married."

"Whatdaya mean by that?" Tess didn't answer. Don fought hard to control his temper. _She just wasn't getting it._ "I love you, Tess. I've told ya that. I've _shown_ ya that. We're gonna have a baby. Why shouldn't we get married?"

Tess pinned Don with her gaze. "If we weren't going to have a baby would you be asking me to marry you right now?" After a couple of heartbeats, Don looked away. "Exactly. Listen, I'm going to head home."

"It's late, Sweetheart. Don't go." Tess shook her head. "Come on. I don't want ya out and about by yerself at this hour."

"I'll be fine. I'll call you when I get back to my apartment."

"Please stay, Tess."

"I can't. I've got to go for a bit. Clear my head."

"Run away, ya mean."

Tess flashed Don a sad smile. "Yeah, I guess I do mean that. I'm sorry. I am. Really. Sorry." Tess turned and headed for the coat closet.

Don sat there and listened to Tess gather her things and leave. He closed his eyes and banged his head against the wall a couple of times. _I gotta get her to change her mind._


	18. Decorations of red on a green Christmas

A/N: See intro for disclaimers. Since Santa didn't put Flack in my stocking (wouldn't that have surprised my husband!), he's not mine. Don't sue.

Thank you to all who read and reviewed and sent good wishes. CharmedMummy: you are so sweet. And persistant too. Wow. I am so tickled. Really. Paly: Things will get better. No, Don doesn't deserve the trouble, but smooth sailing would get very boring. At least in a story. In RL, I'm all for smooth sailing all the way.

Hope everyone enjoys. Thanks!

* * *

Tess sat on the couch knitting with her Ipod plugged into her ears. She was hunched over ignoring everything else. Peter looked up from the cookies he was decorating and elbowed Bette. They broke into a silent argument over whether or not Bette was going to bug Tess. Tess could see them out corner of her eye, but studiously ignored them. She pushed her glasses back up her nose and squinted at her knitting. _Knit two, purl two._ Bette finally came over and stood in front of her. Tess slowly looked up over her glasses. She set her knitting in her lap and pulled her earbuds out.

"Yes?" Bette didn't answer her. "If you're just going to stare at me, then don't you have cookies to work on?"

"Did you try calling…"

Tess shook her head hard. "My business, not yours." She started to plug the earbuds back in.

"Ya know, I've shown a lot of restraint since you told me about being pregnant."

"Thank you." Tess went back to knitting.

Bette rolled her eyes. "Well, you've been doing a great job of beating yourself up over it. Besides, it ain't gonna help things."

"I hear a 'but' entering this conversation, so let's jump to that," said Tess getting annoyed. She dropped her knitting back in her lap and folded her hands over it.

"When _did_ you talk to Don last?"

"That's totally my business."

"Come on, Tess. You are rational enough to know you're being ridiculous."

"Am I? I don't feel very rational right now. Must be the hormones." She picked up the knitting again determined to ignore Bette.

"Don't give me any of that bull crap, Tess. You can't tell a guy he's going to be a daddy and then just blow off for a week. That just isn't right." Bette stood there a minute. "Just what are you knitting?"

"A hat."

"A hat. And this is so important why?"

"Because it is. It's helping me think. I need time to think."

"No, don't even start that, either. You've had plenty of thinkin' time. Now, is the time to start talkin' and makin' plans. I have a tin of cookies all made up. You take them and haul your ass over to Don's apartment and you two start working on what you're gonna do." Tess started to protest. "Get up, stop feeling sorry for yourself and avoiding the issue and go and get things straight with Don. Now!" Bette reached out and started tugging on Tess' arm. "Come on, I mean it. I don't want to see you back here tonight." She pushed Tess to the closet. "Get your coat on. Get your shoes on. Take your knitting, if you have to. Peter, give Tess that tin of cookies." Peter handed Tess the cookies. "Out the door with you. I'm calling Don."

"No. Don't do that…"

"Yes, I am. I want him to be expectin' you. I'm gonna tell him to call me if you don't show up. He'd better not call me, or I will find your pregnant self and I will give you a tongue-lashing you won't soon forget. I'd kick your ass, but I don't want to hurt the baby." Bette pushed Tess out the door. "Now, git. See you tomorrow, _at the earliest_." She shut the door on Tess. Tess stood there for a minute the cookies hanging from one limp hand, her knitting bag hanging from the other. Bette opened the door. "I said git. Go on now." Bette shut the door again. Tess turned and slowly went on her way.

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Don's mood alternated between wanting to shake Tess very hard and wanting to tie her up so she could never leave the apartment. It seemed forever before the knock finally sounded on his door. He stood right behind door and waited. Another knock sounded. Don slowly opened the door and crossed his arms. He raised one eyebrow. Tess held up the tin of cookies.

"Bette and Peter sent these over."

"An' you with 'em." Don took the cookies.

"Um. Yeah." Tess stood still for a moment. Don made no move to let her inside. "Can I come in?"

Don stepped to the side. "I suppose. Are ya sure ya want ta?"

Tess looked down at her feet. "I'm sorry."

"Pardon? I'm not sure I heard that."

Tess looked up. "I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say."

"I guess it's a start. Come on in." Don gestured for to pass him. "Things are kind of a mess. I haven't really felt like cleaning much." Tess paused and looked around. Don usually kept his apartment immaculately for a guy. Clothes were draped over most of the furniture. There was a pile of dishes in the sink. Tess bit her lip. Don picked some things off the couch. He motioned for Tess to sit down. "Ya know, I have Bette on speed dial now." Tess just nodded and sat down on the couch. Don perched on the edge of the coffee table opposite her. "She said yer not eating much."

"I cook stuff, but then don't really feel like eating it."

"Can I find something ya might want to eat?" Don held up the tin of cookies. "Cookie?"

"That's okay. I'm really not hungry."

"Tess, ya really…" Don stopped. He looked down and then back up into Tess' eyes. "I promised myself I wouldn't push. If ya just came by, I wouldn't push. I just wish I knew what I could say, what I could do ta convince ya."

Tess gave him a sad smile. She reached out and traced her fingers along his chin. "Don, it's not you. It's me. I'm the one with a problem."

"The baby isn't a problem."

Tess sighed and dropped her hand into her lap. "I'm not talking about the baby. I'm talking about me running away. And then not talking to you. It's not you. It's me."

"This sounds like the start of a break-up speech." Don stood up. "If ya just came by to break…"

Tess sighed in frustration. "I'm not breaking up with you. Just listen a minute." Tess tugged at his hand. Don sat back down. "I'm the one with a problem. I need some time to sort things through."

"And I was just supposed to cool my jets while ya made all sorts of decisions without me? Just hang around until ya decided ya'd have me."

"Did I say that?"

"Actions, Tess." Don picked up Tess' hand. He ran his thumb roughly over her knuckles. "You don't get ta decide everything all by yourself. Ya don't have the right."

"I know." Tess tugged her hand away. She looked up at the ceiling and blinked slowly. "I just…I just don't want you waking up one morning regretting what you tied yourself into."

"Regretting what? Waking up every morning next ta a woman I'm in love with?"

"But what if…"

Don smiled at her. He reached out and fingered her braid. "Tess, sweetheart, I can't even give ya any guarantees that I'll even come home from work every night." Tess winced. Don touched her cheek. "Sorry to put it that way, but I know that's the truth."

Tess gave him a twisted smile. "And that's supposed to be a selling point?"

"No, I just want ta show ya that there are no guarantees. We just gotta do the best we can." Don took Tess' hands and held them loosely in his own. "Let me do the best I can, Tess. Please."

"You say that even knowing how crazy I can get?"

"I'll take ya any way I can get ya." Don placed a kiss on both of Tess' palms and folded her fingers over them. "I love you, Tess. That isn't something I'm saying just because." Tess nodded. "I want ya ta be here with me. I want ta get ya crackers and 7-up when yer stomach isn't right. I don't want to have to call someone else ta find out how yer doin'. I want ta see it with my own eyes." Tess nodded again. "I know this wasn't something we planned. And who knows if we would have stuck if it hadn't happened, but we can't turn things back now."

A small smile started to tease Tess' lips. "How long did you practice that speech?"

Don gave her a small grin. "Too much?"

"Were you trolling Hallmark specials or something?"

"Nooo. I came up wit' that all on my own. Ya hurt me, Tess." Don pulled her hand to his heart. "Right here, Sweetheart."

Tess smiled and shook her head. "You're certifiable, you know."

Don shook his head and grinned. "Nope. Had to pass a psych exam to join the force." He looked intently at Tess. "I hope this means that I'm not gonna have to keep bugging Bette."

"You won't have to keep bugging Bette." Tess stood up and shed her coat. "In fact you're stuck with me for the entire night. Bette told me not to come back."

"I know. She told me the same thing."

Tess looked down. "I mean is that okay?"

"If I had my choice, ya' be just going back to yer apartment to pack yer stuff ta bring here."

"You've said that."

"And ya still haven't given me an answer ta that."

Tess picked up Don's hands. "Donald Flack, Jr., if you'll still have me, I'll move in with you."

Don grinned. He pulled Tess down to the couch. "I'll have ya." He slid off the coffee table and down to one knee. Tess started to protest. Don put a finger over her lips. "Jus' hear me out. I'm jus' putting it on the table. Ya don't have ta answer. Not right now. Just think about it as long as ya need. I want to marry ya, Sweetheart."

"Don…," Tess started to protest.

"Shh. I said, jus' hear me out." Don rubbed his thumb back and forth over Tess' knuckles. "No, I wouldn't be askin' ya now, if…if…, well you know." Tess gave him appointed look. Don just smiled. "I've thought about it once or twice though. Before." Don stopped and watched Tess for a bit. Tess looked away.

"I don't know what to say."

"Ya don't have to say anything, right now. I'm jus' happy yer gonna move in wit' me."

"You say that now. Just wait until you're tripping over my stuff. Or when you have to get ready for work and I'm hogging the bathroom puking my gut out."

Don grinned at her. "I'll jus' step over ya."

Tess rolled her eyes. "Oh, fine attitude to have, Mr. Flack. And me pregnant with your kid and all."

Don just grinned again. "Yep." He slid up onto the couch next to Tess and pulled her close so she nestled against his side. "So, yer off for Christmas?" Tess nodded. "Then ya can pack and we can work on getting' yer stuff over here."

"Pretty much." Tess groaned. "Except for when we head up to Boston for First Night."

"With yer brother," Don sounded less than thrilled with the prospect.

"And my sister." Tess sat up and rubbed her temples. "Adam is not going to be thrilled. God, and my parents."

"They're comin' ta Boston."

Tess shook her head hard. "No! Thank God, no. But they are not exactly going to rejoice when I tell them I'm moving in with my boyfriend." Tess stood up and started to pace.

"And the baby."

"I can't tell them about the baby."

"Ya can't exactly keep it a secret for long, Sweetheart."

"Well, no, but, I've got to figure out a good way to tell them." Tess fiddled with the end of her braid. "Like there's a good way to tell your parents, you're not married and pregnant." Don started to say something. Tess shook her head. "Please don't even." Tess stopped, closed her eyes and played with her braid. "I'm not going to say anything to Adam or Stephanie."

"Yer parents?"

"I don't know yet, or when." Tess stopped and looked at Don. "Have you said anything?"

"Ta anyone besides Danny the night ya told me?" Don shook his head and looked at the floor. "Like ya said, there's not a good way ta tell yer parents news like that. Doesn't matter how old ya are. In fact when yer almost thirty, I think it's a little tougher. Ya should know better."

Tess smiled wryly and shook her head. "Fine pair we are." She looked at Don a little sadly. "What kind of parents are going to make. We're acting like people half our age."

Don patted the couch next to him. Tess plopped back down. Don pulled her close. "We will jus' do the best we can. No one is asking us to be perfect." They sat there in silence for a moment.

Tess tilted her head to look up at Don. "Are you going to expect me to quit working?"

Don reached over and cupped the side of Tess' face. "Ya can if ya want ta, but I haven't really thought much about it, ta tell the truth."

"Your mom stayed at home?" Don nodded. "So did mine. It was nice. But I really love teaching."

"Then keep teaching. We can find someone."

"But is that fair to the baby?" Tess started to play with her braid again.

Don, pulled Tess closer, kissed her hair and took her hand. "Tess sweetheart, we don't have ta decide everything tonight."

"Mm-hmm." Tess sighed. "I know." She looked up at Don again. "You're just happy I've decided to move in with you."

Don grinned. "Yep." Tess just rolled her eyes and gave him a kiss.

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	19. I hear the secrets that you keep

A/N: See intro for that standard stuff. Not mine, don't sue. I hope you all enjoy the next bit. Hit that little button at the bottom. I thrive on reviews. So does my muse. Thanks for reading.

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Don tried to fold his long frame into the train seat comfortably. He fiddled with tray table, letting it down and re-latching it a couple of times. He unzipped his coat, pulled off the hand-knit watch cap Tess had given him for Christmas and glanced over at her. Tess had her eyes closed and was taking deep breaths. Her present knitting project was bunched in her lap. 

"Ya doin' okay?" Tess shook her head slightly. "The train makin' ya sick?" She nodded a little. "Can I do somethin' ta help?" Don picked up Tess' hand and rubbed it. Tess' morning (and afternoon and evening) sickness really bothered him. He felt so helpless.

Tess squeezed his hand. "Sorry for being such a drag."

Don squeezed back. "Yer not. I jus' wish that…"

Tess smiled slightly. "I know. Thank you." She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. "I should have cancelled this weekend. There is no way I'm going to get through it without Adam and Stephanie figuring things out."

Don flashed her a wry smile. "I think ya tried that. I remember ya calling Adam to cancel. Half a'hour later yer sister was on the phone yellin' at ya 'bout non-refundable tickets and how ya'd better be comin' or she'd come down to New York and haul ya up there."

"Oh, yeah." Tess closed her eyes again. "Maybe if I just go to sleep."

"If yer gonna sleep, can I trade seats wit' ya? Then I won't have ta crawl over ya if I wanna get a bite or somethin'." Tess sighed. Don held up his hands. "I know, I know. I wanted the window seat. Sorry."

"Really, it's not that," she said quietly.

"Yer jus' worried. And sick." Tess flashed him a weak smile.

"Exactly." She stood up and after a little maneuvering Tess was huddled in the other seat and Don carefully stretched his long legs out into the aisle. He took Tess' hand again and slowly rubbed her knuckles. After bit, Don could hear that Tess' had slipped into sleep. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She wasn't the only one who was worried. Don wasn't thrilled with the idea of spending several days with Tess' siblings with this secret hanging over them. _Like you've said anything to yer family,_ a voice mocked him_. Somethin' that I'm not real comfortable wit' to tell the truth_, he replied to himself. _And so?_ Don glanced over at Tess, took another deep breath and slowly let it out. _Not jus' my story ta tell_.

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Tess' phone chirped and she ignore it. Tess and Don were trying to juggle their bags, figure out which was the next train they needed to take and if they could catch it in the station they were in. Tess' phone chirped again. Tess grumbled and fished it out. She glanced at the display before flipping it open.

"Listen, Steph, We're trying to get our heads on straight and figure out where we're headed. Can I call you back?"

"I dunno know about straightening out your head, but if you just quit yammering and turn around, I can help you with the other part."

Tess spun in a circle and spotted a familiar face in the crowd. She dropped her bag, stuck her phone in her pocket and raced over to her sister. The two women hugged each other tightly. Tess grinned down at Stephanie.

"So how did you know when we were coming in?"

"Adam gave me a general idea. We had such a pain getting from Logan to his apartment that we thought we'd form a rescue party and bring you back." At the 'we,' Tess peered past her sister and spotted another vaguely familiar face. She smiled and held out her hand to the red-headed man approaching them.

"Good to see you, John."

John pulled his hand out of his pocket and shook Tess'. "More likely surprised to see me." Tess just shrugged.

Stephanie glanced back and forth between the two of them. "Well, if you would just call more often…" Don had just walked up behind Tess. Stephanie gave him a full appraisal. "Of course, if I had someone like this to distract me." Stephanie held out her hand. "Hi. I'm Stephanie, Tess' big sister." Don suppressed a grin. Stephanie was a good four inches shorter than Tess.

"Don Flack." Don shook Stephanie's hand.

Stephanie nodded. "Adam's told me a bit about you." Don glanced over at Tess. She had turned a little green. He gripped her elbow to keep her from losing her balance over weak knees. Stephanie grinned. "Nothing bad, of course. Just that he threatened to kick your ass after finding you in Tessie's apartment late one night."

"Oh, God," mumbled Tess.

Stephanie's grin broadened. "He's threatened John a couple of times too. It's his way of welcoming people to the family." Stephanie grinned at Tess. "Speaking of welcoming…" She held up her hand. Tess did a double take at the ring flashing there.

"Ohmigod. You're engaged." Don gripped Tess' elbow tighter as her knees did buckle a little.

Stephanie frowned. "Not exactly the reaction I was expecting," she groused.

Tess shook her head. "It's not that, Steph." Tess rubbed at her temples. "I'm sorry. I probably just need to eat something." She smiled at her sister. "This is so great. Really." Tess took her sister's hand and studied the ring. "So have you two set a date or anything?"

"We were thinking sometime in August. Hopefully, before you go back to school. Nothing definite yet."

Tess nodded vaguely. She smiled at John. "So, Steph finally pinned you down. Congratulations."

John grinned and ran his hand down Stephanie' back. "More like I finally pinned her down. Your sister isn't one to give in easily. In fact, I thought for a bit I had finally scared her off completely by asking again."

"I know the feeling," muttered Don. "Must be a family trait."

Tess elbowed Don lightly. She flashed him a warning look. Then she smiled warmly at John again. "John, can I introduce my boyfriend, Don Flack? Don, this is my sister's…fiancé…John Kelly." The men shook hands.

Stephanie looked at her watch. "Well now that we're all well and truly acquainted, we should be heading out or we'll miss our train. Christine's got everything set up for all of us."

Tess stopped in her tracks. "We planned on staying at a hotel. I don't…"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "We had that plan too, but big brother has got us all set to bunk at his place. Doesn't that sound cozy?" Sarcasm oozed from Stephanie.

Tess slowed, her face was very pale. "Just peachy," she agreed.

Stephanie looked over at Tess. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Fine, I'm just not thrilled with the idea with spending the holiday trapped under big brother's watching gaze."

Stephanie grinned. "Not exactly a relaxing, fun-filled holiday. Reminds me of being back in high school."

"Not me. Adam was long gone before I was in high school."

"Lucky you. He wasn't real keen on letting me live my own life." Tess glanced longingly over her shoulder. Stephanie shook her head. "Don't even think about it. You are completely stuck. You don't get to leave until I do." Stephanie grinned. "Maybe we can run interference for each other." Tess sighed. Don caught her hand and gave it a squeeze. Tess smiled weakly at him. The group stopped on the platform to wait for their train.

Don leaned in to Tess. "Ya sure yer gonna be fine?" Tess shook her head slightly. "I'm right here if ya need me."

Tess smiled. "I know. You might just have to run interference for me."

Don kissed the top of Tess' head. "I'll do my best." Tess leaned back against Don. A knowing looked passed between Stephanie and John.

"So how long have you two been dating?" Stephanie dropped into halting Hungarian.

Tess sighed. "I'm sure you got all the details from Adam."

Stephanie grinned and bumped her sister. "But he can't tell me the juicy bits."

Tess shrugged, "What's to tell? You're out of practice by the way."

John shook his head and flashed a half grin at the two women with their heads together. "They're talkin' 'bout us."

"No kiddin'?"

"I can always tell when Steph is talkin' ta one of her friends from back home 'bout me. Like she thinks I can't tell." John shook his head. "There. Jus' heard yer name."

Don smiled. "Hope it was somethin' nice." Don gave John an appraising look. "So how long ago ya head out west?"

John looked a little sheepish. "Been awhile. Thought I wanted a change of scenery. Didn't work out so well." Then he smiled at Stephanie's back. "'Cept for Steph."

"The change of scenery was voluntary, right?"

Tess spun around. "Relax. You are on vacation. Give your 'spidey-sense' a rest, okay?"

Don looked shocked. "What?" Tess just rolled her eyes and turned back to her sister. An MTA train slid up to the platform.

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Stephanie walked up to the apartment door and dug for a key. She swung the door open and went inside. The rest of the group followed. Tess spun around and looked at everything.

Stephanie pursed her lips. "Haven't been by in a while?"

Tess straightened and looked her sister squarely in the eyes. "We usually meet up at Mom and Dad's." Stephanie refused to rise to the bait and just shrugged.

"So Tessie, we're in the guest room and the guys get to fight for the couch and this lovely air bed here." Stephanie waved her hand around the living room.

Don groaned and Tess' eyes widened. "You have got to be kidding me."

Stephanie giggled at her reaction. "Unfortunately. No. Apparently big brother plans to keep our virtue intact. You gonna tell him it's too late?"

"What do you mean by that?" Tess choked.

Stephanie gave her a funny look. "I mean, Adam did give me the run down on how he first met Don."

Tess closed her eyes and blushed hard. "Oh. Right."

"I'm guessing this is just to remind us that we _aren't_ married yet. Bless that dear, sweet, old-fashioned, big brother of ours." Stephanie called over her shoulder. "Anyhow. He did leave a stocked fridge. And liquor cabinet." She opened the fridge. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to need at least one drink to sit through the concert in…." Stephanie glanced at the microwave. "Three hours." She looked over at Don and Tess. "Can I get you two anything?"

"I'll just have a water," replied Tess.

"Same," answered Don.

Stephanie planted her fist on her hip. "Come on. You two met in a bar. I know you aren't teetotalers."

Tess shook her head. "I really just want a water. I'll have something later." Don shot her a look. Tess shook her head. Stephanie narrowed her eyes briefly.

"I guess I'll have a beer," mumbled Don.

Stephanie smiled. "I see you respond to a little arm twisting. Good. Means you're trainable."

"Steph!" protested Tess.

"Lighten up, little sister." Stephanie handed Don a beer. She dropped down on the couch. She looked up at Don and then at Tess. "So. I forgot to ask. What did Dad say when you told him you were dating a Yankee's fan?" She looked back at Don. "I assume you're a Yankee's fan." She held up her hand. "Of course you are. Stupid question." Stephanie looked back at Tess. "Did he threaten to disown you?"

Tess shrugged and sipped her water. "It hasn't come up."

Stephanie raised her eyebrows. "Right." She waved her beer bottle at Don. "When Dad found out Alex…You have heard about Alex, right? Anyway. When Dad heard that Alex didn't even like baseball…"

"Steph, just give it up."

"You're spoiling my fun, Tessie. I just want your guy to know what he's in for. You two are serious, right? Of course you are. Tessie wouldn't have drug you up here if you weren't. Anyway. Dad is gonna skin you for getting hooked up with a Yankee's fan." Stephanie shrugged. "Me? He's just happy I'm settling down." John snorted. Stephanie ignored him. "His precious Tessie…." Stephanie just shook her head and tsk'ed. "He took her to her first game when she was two. Tried it with Adam and me too. It didn't stick. Tessie's the only fan. He's gonna be heartbroken," teased Stephanie.

"She's exaggerating."

Stephanie shook her head and mouthed, "I'm not." She leaned back in the chair and reveled in a little fantasy. "You two will grow up, get married and have little Yankee offspring who will dance on Dad's grave every October." At the word 'offspring,' Tess started choking on her water. Don rubbed her back. Stephanie frowned. "You're only drinking water. Shouldn't cause you so much trouble."

Tess looked for a clock. "I assume we're going to eat before the concert. Maybe we should head out and see what there is. There might be a wait." She started to get up.

"Why are you in such a hurry, Tessie? We've got time. You got some deep dark secret you're afraid I'll ferret out?" This time Don chocked on his drink. Stephanie frowned again. "You two are quite a pair. New York giving you some sort of condition?"

Tess bit her lip and shook her head. "Must be the dry air on the train." Stephanie just raised an eyebrow.

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	20. We'll take a cup o'kindness yet

A/N: See intro for standard stuff. Thanks to all who keep finding this story. Keep proding and I'll write when I can. Thank you to all my readers. Let me know what you think.

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Tess and Don followed behind the other couple as Stephanie wove her way through the crowd. John even had to hurry to keep up with his fiancée. Don squeezed Tess' hand.

"Ya doin' okay?"

Just fine," Tess replied a little breathlessly. "This is Steph all over. What she lacks in height, she makes up for in speed."

"That's not quite what I meant."

"I know. I'm fine, really. Of course, had Steph listened to me and gotten dinner earlier, we'd be in less of a rush now." The group was stopped by street light. Tess wrapped her arms around Don and tugged him close. "By the way, thanks for not griping too much. I know how much you've been looking forward to this concert." She kissed him softly.

"It's the whole reason I came up here." Tess rolled her eyes and punched Don's arm.

"Adam's good. I mean really good."

"Sure he is. Orchestra stuff just isn't my thing."

Tess lips twitched. "You could check on scores on your phone."

Don's eyes lit up. "Can I?"

Tess shook her head. "Don't even."

Don flashed her a mock pout. "Yer a tease, Sweetheart."

"And you love me anyhow." Tess pulled Don's head down near her ear. "Too bad Adam's got us in separate rooms. I'd show you how much a tease I'm not." The light changed. Tess looped her fingers through Don's and tried to keep Stephanie in sight. "Oops. Back to running again."

"That's so not fair, Tess," groaned Don as she tugged him down the sidewalk.

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Don wrapped his arms around Tess and held her tight against him. Fireworks lit the sky of the dying year. The night had turned out well. Listening to Adam's string ensemble wasn't as bad as Don had thought it would be. So far they had avoided any faux pas around Tess' siblings. Don gave Tess a small squeeze. She turned in his arms and smiled up at him. Don felt himself slipping into her warm chocolate eyes. Tess hugged him a little and laid her cheek on his chest.

"Hey, you two. You're missing the fireworks," chided Stephanie. Tess caught Don's gaze and both grinned as a similar thought flashed between the two of them. "Come on. Break it up." Tess turned her back against Don's body again. She stuck her tongue out at her sister. "Oh, real mature, Tess."

"Killjoy."

"I thought that was my job," commented Adam as he joined them. Christine came up behind him, carrying a tote. Adam pulled glasses out and passed them around. Then he extracted a bottle. "Here is our 'cup of kindness.' Almost Midnight." Adam passed out the glasses. "And Steph, try not to have yours gone before the bell tolls. It's for toasting the New Year. Not getting toasted now." Adam popped the cork and filled their glasses.

"Oh, you are sooo amusing, Big Brother." Just to provoke him, she took a big gulp. "Hey, that's not cheap stuff."

Adam smiled. "And now you understand why you're not supposed to chug it." He shrugged. "We don't often get together. I can splurge. Besides, we have good news all around." Adam waved his glass at his wife. "The ensemble is doing great. We have a new CD coming out. A European tour planned. Thank you, Christine." She just smiled and tilted her glass back at him. Adam turned to Stephanie. "You are engaged. Finally." John squeezes Stephanie's hand to stop her from retorting. Adam turned to Tess and Don. "Now, if we could just convince you, Little Sister."

Tess' eyes widened. "Convince me what?" she asked innocently.

"That you need to get married." Don had guessed what was coming and had Tess firmly in his grip. She still slouched a little.

"Um…" she stammered. Tess took a big gulp of her glass. She started to cough as she choked on the bubbly. Don gave her a couple of thumps and rubbed her back.

"Jeeze, Adam. Be a little more subtle." Stephanie watched as Tess brought herself under control. "Don't let him pressure you, Tessie. You and Don have been dating, what? A couple of months or so?" Tess didn't answer. "I think you have a little time." She frowned as Tess coughed again. The crowd started to chant the countdown to Midnight. The group's attention turned from Tess. Don wrapped his free arm back around her waist. He kissed the top of her head.

"Happy New Year!" Tess carefully turned in Don's arms. He leaned down and kissed her. Tess clung to his lips. They broke the kiss and just looked into each other eyes. Tess bit her lip. There was so much she wanted to say in that moment. _Too many people. No, just the wrong people._ She trailed her fingers along Don's chin. He rubbed his thumb over her lips.

"Later," he assured her. He gave Tess another quick kiss. "I know. I wish we were anywhere but here too," he whispered into her ear. They broke apart and Tess hugged the rest of her family. Several toasts were made all around. Tess barely touched the glass to her lips and poured it out as soon as she could. Don caught her and pulled her close again. Tess nestled into the crook of his arm.

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Tess lay very still in the dark of Adam's spare room. She swallowed a sigh, not wanting to wake Stephanie. She hadn't gotten a chance to tell Don anything. She ground her teeth in frustration and turned over.

"I'm not asleep either," came Stephanie's voice.

"I'm sorry," whispered Tess.

"For what? You're not keeping me up."

"Good." Tess couldn't hold back the sigh this time.

"Do Mom and Dad know?"

"Know what? That I'm dating Don? Well, yeah."

"_Tess_. Don't be obtuse. You _know_ that's not what I meant."

"No, I don't," she insisted.

"Fine. Keep playing dumb. I'm guessing not."

Tess sat up. "What are you getting at, Steph?"

"When are you due? It's got to be a while yet." Tess sat silently. "Talk to me, Tessie."

The silence stretched between them. "How did you guess?"

"I've been around quite a few pregnant friends by now." Tess could hear the smile in Stephanie's voice. "And some of it was a guess. You were broadcasting clues all over the place. Better learn subtlety."

"Oh." Tess tugged on her braid. "Please don't tell Adam. Or Mom and Dad."

"I won't, but better sooner than later, Little Sister."

"I know. It's not going to be easy."

"Understatement of the century. Do his folks know?"

"No."

"Well, at least you two are keeping everyone in the dark. Bette knows?"

"Yes. I had to tell her. That and I moved in with Don about a week ago."

"Wow. I'm guessing Adam doesn't know that either?"

"No. And don't go harassing me. You and John were living together for years."

"Yes, but I'm the wild sister. No one blinks when I move in with a guy."

"That's not quite true either and you know it. Trust me. I got an earful."

"Close enough. Really, no one was surprised. You're not married, right? Cuz that would really kill Mom and Dad."

"As opposed to being a 30 year-old unwed mother?"

"That's not what I mean. They're gonna want to be at the wedding."

"Who says I'm getting married?"

"You're not getting married? Do I need talk some sense into that guy of yours?"

"_Don_ wants to get married," Tess answered quietly.

"_You're_ the one dragging your feet?" Stephanie asked incredulously. "You're kidding right?"

"Don't lecture me, Steph. I don't want to hear it."

"Well, I'm gonna say it anyhow."

"Just stop. Okay? I'm not going to get married just because I'm having a baby."

"People have had stupider reasons. Yours is a pretty good one."

"And next year or the year after that, when we wake up resenting being trapped with each other?"

"A little late for that, don't ya think?"

"That's not the point."

"Tess, that's completely the point. Married or not, you're going to be a part of each other's lives from now on. You think it's really going to be easier if you're not married? You're just splitting hairs, Tessie."

"It's just…"

"Everything else is spinning out of control? You'd better get used to that."

"More advice from observing your friends?"

"Well, it's certainly not first hand. At least not about kids. But I do know about being a control freak."

"You a control freak? I wouldn't have guessed."

"Ha. Ha. I almost lost John over it. And _that_ I would have regretted. Don't be stupid like I was. You've got more at stake."

"I am not…"

"Broken record, Tess."

"My business, Steph."

"And I'll let you mind it. For now."

Tess sighed. "Good night, Steph."

"I won't tell Adam. Or Mom and Dad."

"Thanks." Tess lay there, thinking. She heard Stephanie drift off to sleep.

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Don watched Tess yawn again at breakfast. He reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. Tess gave him a weak smile. He slid closer to her and leaned in.

"Are ya OK?" Don asked quietly.

"Tired. Girltalk." She yawned again. "Big sister was full of advice."

Don looked a little worried. "Oh," he replied.

Tess nodded. "Exactly."

"And?"

"She called me a control freak."

Don nodded. "I can see that."

"I am _not _a control freak," protested Tess.

"I've seen worse."

"I should feel better about that?"

Don looked around. No one else was up still. "Tess, I don't want ta fight wit' ya."

"Well, you started…"

"No, you said Stephanie called ya a control freak."

"And you were agreeing with her."

"I don't want ta fight with ya," he repeated.

"Then let's drop it. Okay?"

"Fine. We'll drop it. For now."

"And Steph calls _me_ a control freak."

"I never claimed I wasn't," stated Don.

"Great." Tess shook her head. "What a pair we make.""

"Yes we do." Don kissed her hand. Tess looked down and shook her head slightly. She looked back at Don and smiled. Don grinned back. Tess leaned in and kissed him lightly. Don wrapped his hand around the back of Tess' head and deepened the kiss. He tugged her closer. Tess anchored her fingers in his hair. Don kissed her until they were both breathless. He leaned his forehead against Tess'. "I love you. Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year."

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	21. Like lightening running through my veins

A/N: See the intro for the standard stuff. Lookie, lookie twice in one week. Dearest Perdita is in a writing mood. Hopefully, she'll stick around for a while. After all, it's summer and no new stuff on TV.

Thank you all for the kind reviews. Good to see some familiar names coming up. Welcome to new readers too. I hope you enjoy. Please R/R. It's easy and it's fun!

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Tess was picking up her tote bag as Don came into the apartment. Don looked from her to the tote. Tess caught the look in his eyes and set down her bag. Don silently hung up his coat. Tess dropped down on the couch and waited for him to finish his coming home routine. He went into the bedroom, changed and locked up his gun. He came back into the living room and sat down next to Tess. He pulled her close and kissed her head. Her sighed and took a deeper breath. Tess smelled of oranges and vanilla ice scream. Don held her just slowly breathing in her scent. His hand slid down and gently rested on her belly. Just the faintest bit of roundness, if you knew it was there.

"Bad day?" prompted Tess.

"People suck." stated Don flatly. "Not you, Sweetheart. Not me, most of the time. Just people in general."

"So. I take that as a 'yes.'" Tess reached up and started to rub the back of Don's neck. He groaned and turned to give her better access. Tess smiled and shook her head at his silent plea. She started to work on his neck and shoulders with both hands. Don sat still letting Tess work the tension out of his body. Tess sighed a little. She stopped and stood up. She motioned for Don to stand up too. He flashed a thankful smile. Tess just shook her head. She tugged his t-shirt up over his head and dropped it on the couch. Tess nudged the coffee table over a little. "Lay down," she said, indicating the floor. Don did, lying on his back, face up. Tess rolled her eyes. "Turn over." Don waggled his eyebrows, but did what she asked. Tess sat on Don's rear with a leg bent next to each of his hips. She started to massage his shoulders again. Don moaned.

"So good," he mumbled into the carpet.

"Don't get too used to it. Pretty soon, I'll be too big and heavy to do this." Tess slowly worked her way down Don's back trying to ease the knots out of his muscles. She paused and ran a feathery touch over the scars on his side. "So people suck. Fine attitude for someone bringing a kid into this world." Don growled a little and started to push off the floor. Tess slid off his legs and sat down behind him. She crossed her legs and waited expectantly. Don grabbed his shirt and pulled it back on. He leaned his back against the couch and stretched his legs under the table. He stared forward for a few moments. Then he looked over at Tess.

"Ya really want to hear about it?"

Tess gave him an annoyed look. "Um. Yeah. Or I wouldn't have brought it up."

"Ya don't get tired of me bitchin' about the people I run into?"

"You listen to me babble about my students."

"Yer students aren't the scum of the earth."

"Neither is everyone you run into." Don gave Tess a doubtful look. Tess rolled her eyes at him. "You know I'm not afraid to tell you to shut up. So…until you hear me say that, go on."

"We wrapped up the transvestite case today."

Tess nodded. "Good. Was it Garth?"

Don looked up at the ceiling. "Actually, no. The congressman was just a rapist, not a murderer."

"There's a good campaign slogan," quipped Tess.

Don's lips twitched a little. He picked up Tess' hand and kissed her hard on the knuckles. He shook his head and frowned again. "No, the brain trust that held Misty's head in the toilet did it because he wasn't a she. His buddies razzed him about it."

"So he killed her?" Tess was still fazed by how cruel people could be.

Don grimaced. "Wanna know the kicker? The perp actually though he did the world a favor." Tess stared open mouthed at him. Don shook his head. "Not kidding." Don looked around and spotted Tess' bag again. "Yer goin' out?"

"It's 6:30."

"Yeah?"

"It's Sunday."

Don just stared at Tess. Suddenly, it dawned on him. "Fencing." He frowned. "Yer not planning on…"

Tess crossed her arms over her chest. "I wasn't, but I still need to coach. And I have been cleared by my doctor to fence. For a while at least." Tess spoke very slowly, annunciating every word carefully. She looked down at her lap and then back up at Don. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't get snappy." Tess took his hand in both of hers and rubbed it. She looked into his eyes. "I love that you are so protective and want to take care of me and the baby, but if you keep treating me like I'm made of glass, it's going to be a very long six and a half months."

"I can't help it, Sweetheart."

Tess smiled. "I know. It really is sweet, annoying sometimes, but really, really sweet." Tess looked down at her lap. "There's no Rangers or Knicks game on. You wouldn't want too…"

"I don't want to smother ya."

"Oh, I see. Now you plan to pout. I though I was supposed to be the moody one."

"Sympathetic symptoms." Tess whacked Don in the arm. "Hey! That hurt."

Tess stood up. "Well, I _do_ have to go. Do you want to come or not?"

"Do you want me to?"

Tess sighed. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't. I've missed you."

"If yer sure." Tess nodded. Don boosted himself off the floor. "Lemme grab a sandwich." Don quickly fixed himself something to eat on the run. "Have ya told Misha he's gonna need someone else to help this fall?"

"Not yet." Don flashed her an annoyed look. "Have you let anyone know? Besides Danny, I mean."

Don dropped his head. "No." He looked over at Tess tried to gauge her mood that instant. "We gotta start tellin' people, Tess. At least our folks."

Tess tugged her braid. She started to pace. "I know. I_ know_." She stopped in front of Don. "I run the conversation through my mind a thousand times a day." Tess shook her head. "There is no scenario in which I don't come off as being either very stupid or very naive."

Don sighed and set down the mustard. He tugged Tess close. "Ya don't think that I don't feel the same way? But we gotta quit putting it off. It's not gonna get any easier. And wit' yer sister knowin'... It's gonna slip sometime Tess."

"I know. It's just…" Tess looked up at Don. Tess could read hurt in his eyes and a bit of anger. She could also see love. Tess closed her eyes and laid her head on Don's chest. "Do you want to talk to your parents by yourself or together?"

Don took deep breath. "I dunno. My sisters are gonna be thrilled. After the shock wears off. They love ya. My mom too. But she's gonna be a little more hurt. Especially since we ain't married yet. My old man is gonna rant. He might say some stuff."

"About you or about me?"

"Both," Don answered honestly. "That's the conversation that I keep playin' in my mind." Don tilted Tess' face up. "I don't want ya hearin' things that we both know ain't true."

"I've got a pretty thick skin." Tess smiled a little. "Besides. Maybe if he manages to reduce me to tears, he might feel bad and be less hard on you."

A hint of a smile echoed on Don's face. "Ya'd like ta think that, wouldn't ya?" Don shook his head. "I don't wanna see ya reduced to tears. Let me break it to my folks by myself."

Tess nodded. "I'd say the same thing about mine. Not the ranting part. The wanting to talk to them alone first. My parents haven't even met you."

"Can ya give Misha a call? Tell him yer not gonna make it tonight? We should do this now. Before we chicken out."

Tess nodded slowly. "I guess. Are you going to call your parents, or go and see them?"

"I should probably go over there. Then you can call yer folks and talk while I'm gone."

Tess nodded again. "That sounds good."

Don glanced at the clock. "I guess this sandwich is still to go." He kissed Tess' cheek. "I'll be back as soon as I can be. Make sure ya call yer folks." Tess nodded. Don went in the bedroom and grabbed his wallet and stuff. He picked up his sandwich and kissed Tess quickly. "Call yer folks," he reminded as he went out the door.

Tess stood still, staring at the door. She looked longingly at her tote bag and seriously contemplated picking it up and going out. She sighed, pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and sat down on the couch. She opened it and stared at it. Tess held down the speed dial number for her parents. Before it could ring, she snapped the phone shut. She closed her eyes, grimaced and opened the phone again. She took a deep breath and held down the key. Tess put the phone slowly up to her ear. It rang several times. Tess thought it was going to go to voice mail. _I can't leave a message like that on voice mail._ Someone picked up. _Damn._

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mama?"

"Hi, Tessie. Listen. Can I call you back? I'm driving home and don't want to talk on the phone while I'm driving."

_Good idea considering_, thought Tess. "Okay. I'll talk to you later then."

"Okay. Everything alright, Tess?"

"Fine, Mama." Tess crossed her fingers. "I'll talk to you later."

"Later, Tessie. Love you."

"I love you too, Mama." Tess snapped the phone shut and tossed it on the table. _Well, that was that._ Tess stared at the phone, wondering when it would ring. After a few minutes, she got up and paced the apartment. She fiddled with this and that, keeping an ear out. Tess folded and put away laundry. She got everything ready in her messenger bag for school in the morning. She dug out her lap top and checked for last minute messages from student begging for home work help. She re-packed her laptop and sat back on the couch staring at the phone again. That's where Don found her.

"Did you talk with your folks?"

Tess shook her head. "Mom was out. She said she'd call back." Tess glanced at the phone and back at Don again. "How did it go?"

Don shrugged. ""Bout how I expected. Mom cried. Dad yelled. We swore at each other. Mom got mad at us for yelling and swearing. Really, not as bad as I thought it would be." Don dropped down on the couch next to Tess. "They wanted to know when we were getting' married."

Tess looked away. "Oh."

"I said we were still workin' that one out. That led to more yelling and swearing."

"I'm sorry. Maybe I should have come along."

Don shook his head. "No, it wouldn't have made it any better. But we do have a command dinner appearance next Sunday."

"Terrific," said Tess flatly.

"How come ya haven't tried callin' yer folks back?"

"I just hadn't." answered Tess. She started to reach for the phone when it rang. Tess jumped back. She let it ring twice.

"Ya should probably git that. Do ya want me to go?" Tess shook her head and wove the fingers of one hand tightly into Don's. She took a deep breath. With the other hand she picked up her phone and flipped it open.

"Hello? Mama?"

"No, Teresa."

Tess frowned at the use of her full name. "Daddy? What's wrong?" There was a little silence at the other end. "I was waiting for Mama to call me back."

"You talked to her tonight?" There was a slight crack in her father's voice.

"Yes," she answered slowly. "She was driving and didn't want to talk. She said she would call me."

"The roads are icy."

Tess could hear her father's accent. She felt a rising panic. Don said nothing as she gripped his hand harder. "Daddy? Daddy? What's wrong?" Don rubbed his thumb slowly up and down her hand.

"The roads are icy," Tess' father repeated this time in Hungarian.

Tess dropped into Hungarian. "Daddy. You said that already. Did something happen?"

"Veronika…"

"Yes, what about Mama?"

"She's at St. Vincent's."

"Oh God." Tess dropped Don's hand and started tugging hard on her braid. "Daddy. Daddy, listen. How is she?"

"I do not know. Surgery."

Tess' eyes started to water. "Have you talked to Adam or Stephanie?"

"No answer."

Tess took a deep breath. "Okay. Okay. You don't worry about them. I'll call them. I'm going to catch the first flight I can."

"You have school."

"Daddy, don't worry about that. That is why we have subs. You're not alone, are you?"

"Eva."

_And she's not the one calling, why?_ "Okay. Daddy, can I talk to Auntie Eva?" Tess heard the phone being passed over. Tess took several deep breaths to keep from yelling at her aunt. "Eva?" Tess went back to English. "I'm on my way out. I will call you when I know what my flight is. I will try to call Adam and Steph."

"Your father…"

"Please just let him relax. I will be there soon. Just have Adam or Steph call me. Please. Don't make him talk on the phone again." Tess stood up and headed for the bedroom. "I won't be able to call when we're taking off or landing, but the rest of the time my phone will be on. I don't know what kind of reception I'll get. Just don't make Daddy talk on the phone. Am I clear?"

"You don't have to get rude, Teresa." Eva sounded quite miffed.

"I don't have the time to argue. I could call Uncle Stash to sit with Daddy."

"I will call Stash later. I can't stay here all night."

"Okay. Thank you, Eva. I'm sorry for being snappy. Tell Daddy I love him."

"Bye, Teresa." Tess snapped her phone shut. She sat down on the edge of the bed and stared. Don came and crouched in front of her. She raised watery eyes to meet his.

"I've got to go to Toledo."

"So I gathered. Yer mom?"

"I don't know. I guess there was an accident. Daddy just kept saying the roads are icy. She's in surgery at St. Vincent's Mercy." Tess looked at her hands. "I need to get a flight. It would be easier to get to Detroit…"

"And drive to Toledo? I don't think so, Sweetheart. You pack. I'll find ya a plane. You'll fly into to Toledo and take a cab from the airport. Do you understand me?"

"A cab…"

"Come on Tess. I know they got cabs in Toledo." Don took Tess' phone from her hand and called Bette. He quickly explained the situation and got Bette to agree to arrange everything with school. He looked back at Tess. She hadn't moved. He crouched back down in front of her. "Tess Sweetheart. You've gotta pack. Ya don't want me doin' it for ya." Tess nodded and slowly started moving around the room. She found a suitcase and started shoving things into it.

Don made sure Tess was doing okay and then left her to find her computer. He logged in and started to look for a flight to Toledo. While the web site searched, Don tried to dial Adam and Stephanie. The results came up and Don swore. _Toledo, why'd Tess have to come from Toledo? Why couldn't she be from Detroit or Chicago? Easy to get a flight there_. Tess' cell phone rang. Don glanced at the number and flipped it open.

"Adam?"

"Hey, Don. Is Tess okay?"

"Tess? Fine. Well, kind of. Have ya talked ta yer Dad?"

"No. He didn't answer his phone. I saw he had called."

"Right. Just a minute. Tess! Adam's on the phone!"

Tess came out and claimed her phone. She talked in low tones with Adam. Don could follow her end of the conversation, she kept it in English. When she was done, she handed the phone back to Don.

"Christine wants to talk to you."

"Hello?"

"Don? Let me make flight arrangements. I do this all the time. We'll meet Tess in Detroit. Don't bother with a flight to Toledo. It's impossible to make any decent time."

"No kiddin'. I'm not sure I want anyone drivin' though."

"It will be okay. We're going to need the extra car anyway. Tell Tess we'll keep trying Stephanie too. I'll call back with the flight info."

"Okay. We'll sit tight." Don flipped the phone shut. He logged off the laptop and put it back in Tess' bag. He went back to the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. Tess finished packing and sat down next to him. Don shifted, lay down and pulled Tess along his side. He rubbed slow circled on her back.

Tess suddenly sat up. "I didn't think…. I didn't ask…" Tess tugged at the end of her braid. Don sat back up and took her hands.

"What, Sweetheart?"

"I didn't ask if you were coming with me. I just assumed…"

"It's okay, Sweetheart." Don pulled her into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her. "Do you want me to go with ya? I could call and see if…"

"I don't want to cause trouble."

"It's not causin' trouble. Well, it is, but that's not the point."

"Maybe later, if…" Tess took a shuddering breath.

"Shhh." Don kissed her temple. "Howabout if you go ta Toledo and call me if ya need me?"

"I'm gonna need ya," whispered Tess.

Don smiled into her hair. He gave Tess a small squeeze. "You've been hangin' around me too long, English teacher. Yer grammar is slippin'." Tess looked at him in surprise. She could see such love in his eyes that tears started spilling out of hers. Don's look turned to concern. "I wasn't tryin' ta make ya cry, Sweetheart."

Tess shook her head. "Not very hard right now."

Don pulled her close again. "Shhh. I know. If ya call me, I'll be in Toledo as fast as humanly possible. Okay?" Tess nodded. Don buried his face in her hair. "I'm gonna miss yer smell."

"I could leave the bottle. It's Orange Cream Pop."

"That's not the same and you know it." Tess nodded and burrowed closer to Don. He held her comforting her.

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	22. There goes my future, my everything

A/N: See intro for the standard stuff. This is a little long. Hang in there though. Rest time is over by the end of this. Please R/R. It's the only way I know if I'm going way off track. Thank you kindly.

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Don stood holding Tess outside the security gates. Neither one was quite ready to let go. Don longed for the old days when he could have sat at the gates with her and watched the plane taxi away. He seriously considered using his badge to get him through security, so he could sit with Tess.

"I could still do it, ya know."

"You're not here on business. It could get complicated. I'll be fine," Tess said softly. Don tilted her face up and kissed her tenderly. Tess trailed her fingers over his chin. "Are you going to miss me that much?"

"It's gonna be cold in bed tonight." Tess' eyes started to water. Don pulled her close again. "I wasn't trying to make you cry, Sweetheart."

Tess took a deep breath. "I'm just a little emotional right now. I'm sorry."

"What are ya apologizing for? Ya have no reason to be sorry. I was just teasin' ya." Don stood there rubbing Tess' back. "I can't even find ya under that heavy coat."

Tess' smiled up at Don her eyes shining. She stepped away from him. She unzipped her coat, shrugged it off and dropped it on top of her carry on bag. Then she stepped back into Don's embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist.. "Better?"

Don gave her a slight squeeze. "I guess it'll have ta do." He kissed the top of her head. Tess looked up into his eyes.

"You're thinking about something."

"Rockefeller Center."

Tess frowned, then blinked slowly and shook her head. "I don't believe you." Her eyes started to prickle again. Don started looking worried. Tess dashed her hand across her eyes. "I can't help it." She leaned up and kissed him quickly. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Trying to distract me. And for remembering." Tess looked over at the gates. She wished that she could just go home and curl up in bed with Don. "I should probably start through security."

"Yeah, ya probably should." Don reached for Tess' hands and wove his fingers through hers. "Remember, if ya need me ta fly out, jus' call."

"You might hear your phone ringing in about five minutes."

Don groaned and pulled her back against him quickly and then pushed her away. He picked up Tess' coat and helped her into it. "You'd better git goin' or yer gonna miss that plane." Tess picked up her carry-on. "Get ta Toledo and you'll have one less thing ta worry about." Tess just nodded unable to trust her voice. She turned and went through the checkpoint. On the other side of the gates, Tess turned back and gave Don a small wave. He waved back. Tess headed deeper into the terminal. Don stood watching her until she disappeared around a corner. Don let out a heavy breath. He felt lonely already. He started slowly out of the airport.

Don had barely hit the AirTrain when his phone rang. He grinned and unclipped it from his belt.

"I think that was a little longer than five minutes, but not much."

"I forgot to say I love you."

Don's chest ached. "I know that, ya didn't have ta call ta tell me."

"I know."

"I love ya too, Sweetheart."

"Take care of yourself. Promise?"

"You too. You and the baby." Don looked around the train taking note of who else was riding. "Do ya want me ta talk ta ya until yer plane leaves?"

"That's okay. I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

"Ya think I'd forget or somethin'?"

"No."

"Okay. Jus' let me know when ya get ta Toledo."

"I'll do that. Bye."

"Talk ta ya later, Tess." Tess hung up and Don clipped the phone back to his waist. He shook his head. _Worse than a couple of teenagers._

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Tess sat in the kitchen of her parent's house nibbling on a piece of dry toast and drinking some tea. Adam had raised her eyebrows at her request for tea, but hadn't questioned it. Tess watched her father stirring his cup of coffee for the fourth time since it had been poured still not drinking it. Adam set a plate of scrambled eggs in front of him. He pushed it away towards Tess. Tess' stomach flip-flopped, but she didn't have to rush from the table. She sighed and pushed the plate back.

"Daddy, you've got to eat."

He shook his head. "I'm not hungry. What's your excuse?"

"The same."

"Then don't lecture me, Teresa."

Tess sighed. "I'm going to ride with you to the hospital this morning, while Adam waits for Steph and John to come in. They'll all visit this afternoon. We can go out for dinner and then take turns visiting later." Tess' father didn't answer. He just stared into space. Tess was worried. Her father was normally very gregarious. Beyond filling them in last night, he had hardly talked. She didn't count the grumbling about eating. Tess watched him as she ate. She let out a silent sigh of relief as he pulled his plate back and slowly worked his way through the eggs. Tess looked over at him. "Daddy, if you would like to rest, I can go by myself this morning."

"I am fine, Teresa."

""Maybe that's a good idea, Dad," agreed Adam as he sat with his own plate.

"I am fine," he said defiantly. He suddenly deflated. "I just want to be with my wife," he ended quietly.

Tess nodded. "Okay, Daddy. Just finish your breakfast and we'll head out."

Adam looked at Tess' toast. He waved a fork at her. "There's enough eggs for you too, Tess."

Tess wrinkled her nose. "That's okay. I'm not really hot on eggs this morning."

"You really should have something besides toast." Adam waved his fork at her again.

"I'll take an apple with me and eat it." Adam nodded satisfied. Tess excused herself and went upstairs to shower and change.

She wiped the steam off the mirror on the back of the bathroom door. Tess turned left and right checking out her thickening middle. She wrapped a towel around her body and sat down on the toilet with a heavy sigh. _How had things come to this? _Tess shook her head at the irony of where she was sitting. _Unwed and pregnant in your parents bathroom. _There was a knock on the door.

"Hey! Dad's waiting. You need to get a move on."

"Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm moving." Tess stood up, got dressed and braided her hair. She looked briefly in the mirror. _Quit feeling sorry for yourself, Teresa Suzanne. Think of your mom and dad._ Tess buried her worries about her and Don and the baby, sent a silent prayer up for her mom and left the bathroom. "I'll be down in a minute, Daddy. I've just got to drop my things in my room." She did that, slipped on a pair of shoes and headed downstairs.

Adam handed her an apple as she headed out he door. "Remember to eat it."

Tess rolled her eyes. "I can take care of myself."

"Just make sure Dad leaves for lunch. I'm sure he'll bully the nurses into letting him stay, if you let him."

"I'll try and get him to do that. I don't make any guarantees."

"Then we'll run you both out when Steph and I get there." Adam gave her a hug. "Give that to Mom, will ya?"

Tess nodded with watery eyes. "Will do." She quickly went out to the car.

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Tess sat knitting while her father sat beside her mother, holding her hand and murmuring in Hungarian. It had been a long morning. The update from the doctor was guardedly optimistic. While she had had severe injuries, including a shattered leg, surgery had gone well and she should pull through with few complications. She was still sedated, but should be off the sedation by evening and by tomorrow if she continued to show improvement, she would be moved out of ICU and down to a regular floor.

Tess' father glanced over at what Tess was doing. "What are you knitting, _mezem_?"

Tess' fingers stopped moving. She ran her fingers over the soft, dark fabric. "Just a scarf, Daddy."

"Mmm. For your new boyfriend?" Tess looked a little surprised at the tone in his voice.

_Didn't he know she had a boyfriend? That couldn't be. I know I've talked about Don. How could I not have talked about him? _

Her father smiled softly. "Adam told us he had met him. Stephanie too. I am glad that you all spent the New Year together." He frowned slightly. "It would have been nice to hear about him from you though, Teresa."

Tess' eyes widened. _He _hadn't_ heard about Don before Oh no, this was trouble. Capital T trouble. I _had_ to have at least mentioned him before. _"I'm sorry, Daddy. I'm sure I mentioned him to Mama."

"If you had mentioned a boyfriend you were seeing seriously enough to take to Boston with you, I'm sure your mother would have passed that information on."

Tess looked at her lap and searched for the conversation where she was sure she had talked about Don. _Had she really not talked about Don to her parents? This was going to make everything so much more difficult._

Tess' father watched her. "Actually, your mother did mention you were dating someone. I just though we would have heard some more about him. So?"

Tess blushed and nodded slightly. "What would you like to know? And yes, the scarf is for Don."

"He is a policeman?"

"Detective," Tess corrected.

Her father nodded and went back to talking to her mother. "So our little girl is dating a police detective in New York City. Apparently seriously enough to take him to visit her brother, but not seriously enough to bring him back here to meet her parents. And Stephanie is getting married. There is so much to keep track of. Too much for me, but not for you, _kedvel._"

The ICU nurse popped her head around the corner of her station. "Mr. Nagy? I just got a call that a priest has come to see you and Mrs. Nagy."

Tess stuffed her knitting into her messenger bag and stood up. "I'll bet it's Uncle Stash. I'll go for a little walk, okay?" Tess' father nodded.

Tess left quietly and headed for the family waiting area. She found a priest and a white haired woman standing there. Tess burst into tears as she hugged the woman. The woman rubbed her back. "Nagymama Sophie!" Tess stood up a minute rubbed her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Sophie patted Tess' hand. "I know, Tessie. I would have rather seen you someplace else too." Tess hugged her again. She seemed so frail.

Tess stood up again and rubbed her eyes. She hugged the priest. "Hi, Uncle Stash."

"Hello, Tess. I'm glad you could make it in."

Tess rubbed at her eyes again. "Like I wouldn't come see my mother in the hospital? This is me, remember. Even Stephanie is flying in." Tess stepped back and shifted her weight from foot to foot. "Mama is doing better. They think they can send her to a regular room tomorrow."

Sophie nodded. "That's promising." Everyone stood silently for a few moments, unsure of what to say next. Tess looked around. "You could probably both go in. I'll hang around in case they won't let everyone stay."

Stash shook his head. "I have some other parishioners to visit. I'll let you go in Mama and I'll check back later." He hugged Sophie. "Tess would you walk her down?" Tess nodded. "Then I will see you later, Mama. You can have someone page me, if you're ready to go before I come back." He looked back over at Tess. "How long are you staying, Tess?"

Tess shrugged. "At least until the end of the week, all things depending."

Stash nodded. "Well, remember, there's still Mass at St. Stephens every morning at 7. Your mother could use your prayers."

Tess dropped her head. "Yes, Uncle Stash."

Sophie frowned at her son. "Stanley, leave the poor girl alone. Her mother, your sister is in a hospital bed and you're harassing her for not coming to Mass this morning."

"It's okay, Nagymama. He's right."

"He may be right, but there are ways and there are ways. Come on, Tess. Walk me down to Veronika's room. Will an hour be enough time for you to do some visiting, Stanley?"

"I don't know, Mama."

"Well then maybe Tess will be able to drive me home. I need to get your father some lunch. Check back when you're done." Father Stanley waved as he headed out the door.

"Daddy…," Tess started to protest.

"I think that Eva and Lily were planning on coming down this morning. Frank and Lazlo this evening sometime. Your papa won't be alone. Have you talked to Zsuzsu yet?"

Tess sighed. "No, I know that Papa talked to her this morning. She said she wasn't going to come down here. There were already going to be too many people. I think Stephanie and John planned to stay with her. I just don't think that Nagyanya Zsuzsu likes hospitals."

"Who does?" replied Sophie. She shrugged. "Zsuzsu is probably right about too many people. Maybe she could send something to eat over to your father's."

"We can cook, Nagymama."

"And when are you going to have time to cook, running back and forth to the hospital? And don't tell me you plan to go out. All of you have so much money to burn?"

"No, Nagymama."

"Then I'll see if Zsuzsu will send over some of her soup. It's easy to reheat and keeps well."

Tess just nodded and walked Sophie down the hall. It was easier not to argue with her. Tess stood outside the unit and while her grandmother went inside. Her father stood up hugged her and let her sit in his seat. They leaned their heads together and talked quietly. Tess walked down the hall to the elevators. She headed down to the lobby to make some phone calls.

The first one was to her Grandmother Zsuzsu. Tess leaned against the wall as she waited for the phone to get picked up.

"Nagyanya?"

"Hello, Tess. I just finished talking to your brother. Stephanie and John just got in and they were all headed here to drop off luggage. How is your mother?"

"Still sedated. Hopefully, she'll be moved to a regular room tomorrow. Nagymama Sophie and Uncle Stash just came. Nagymama is in the room. Uncle Stash is visiting other parishioners."

"And everyone else?"

"I'm not sure. Nagymama knows when everyone is coming. I'll just keep out of the way. I just wanted you to know she was looking for you to send some soup."

"I'm sure she is. I was already making some. You will find it on the glass porch this afternoon. I think that Julia Farkas was going to bring something by too."

Tess smiled. "I'm sure we'll find a very full porch when we make it back home. I'll send some over for you and Steph and John."

"Don't do that, _mezem_. I can cook."

"But we won't be able to eat all of the food."

"It is winter. It will keep on the porch. Your parents will need something later."

"Okay, Nagyanya."

"I will talk to you later, Teresa. Make sure someone calls me if there is a change."

"We will. Bye." Tess hung up the phone.

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Tess was almost asleep in the corner of the Family Waiting Room. Her knitting lay in her lap. It had been a draining day. Family members came and went. Tess chatted superficially about what was going on in her life to most of them. Only Stephanie had asked some very pointed questions when there was no one else within earshot. She dozed off.

"Hey, Tessie. Time to pack it in." Adam shook her awake. Tess blinked rapidly. "I know. Very long day." Tess yawned and nodded. "Go on in and say good night to Mom and we'll get Dad down to the car."

Tess nodded again, untucked her foot, and started to stand up. Almost as soon as she was on her feet, she found herself on the floor. She heard the clunk just before the shooting pain filled her head. She could hear the commotion going on around her and struggled to wave Adam off. One of the other people in the room went to find a nurse.

Tess waved Adam off again. "I'm fine. Too much stress."

"Tess, you just collapsed," Adam said insistently.

Tess sat up. The room spun a little. She leaned forward. "I'm fine. Low blood pressure. I've had it for years. You _know_ that."

Stephanie came in. She spotted Tess and rushed over. "What happened?"

"Tess collapsed and hit the floor."

Tess lifted her head slightly from between her knees. "I'm fine really. Nothing special."

"Are you sure? Just your blood pressure?"

Tess looked up at her sister. "I'm fine, Stephanie. _Really_."

Adam's gaze shifted between his two sisters. "Is there something going on here I'm not getting?"

Tess pinned her sister with tense frown. "I'm _fine_."

"Tess…"

"Shut up, Stephanie." Tess' father and a nurse cam into the room Tess groaned and rubbed her head. "Just great," she mumbled.

Her father bent down next to Tess. "A woman came down to the nurses' station and said you had fallen."

Tess sighed heavily. "I had been sitting too long and stood up too fast. End of story." She looked straight at Stephanie willing her to let it drop.

"I was told you hit your head," said the nurse.

"I did, but beyond a sore spot, I'm fine. I'll fill out whatever paperwork you want stating that."

"Tess…"

"Drop it, Steph."

Adam frowned at Tess. "Why do you keep saying that, Tess?" Tess looked at Stephanie and shook her head hard. She winced as the pain flared up again.

"Tess is pregnant," blurted Stephanie. Tess dropped her head back in her lap as the questions started flying at her. Tess ignored them.

The nurse came up and tapped her on the shoulder. "I'm afraid, you'll have to go down to emergency and get checked out."

Tess tuned everyone, but the nurse out. "I'm fine really."

"I have to get someone to confirm that. I'm sorry."

Tess waved her hand and sighed. "No, I understand. Liability and all that."

"I don't want you to move. I'm going to get a wheelchair."

"I can walk down. I'm fine really."

"I'm sorry. As you said, liability." She disappeared. Tess stared at her knees. She refused to look at her family.

"Teresa."

Tess looked up at her father. His eyes held a question. She nodded. "Yes, Daddy." Adam swore.

"Not appropriate, Adam," reprimanded their father.

"Besides, Don's mom is a very nice woman," snapped Tess.

"Teresa," her father said with a warning note in his voice. He carefully boosted himself into a chair. "When were you going to tell us, Teresa?"

"That's why I was trying to call Mama," said Tess quietly. The nurse came back in with the wheelchair.

"Okay, time to head downstairs. Can you get in or do you need help?"

"I really am fine," insisted Tess. She carefully got up and slid into the chair. Tess looked over at her father. "I'm so sorry, Daddy."

He shook his head. "Now is not the time. I will talk to you later, Teresa." Tess nodded and let the nurse wheel her out. Adam, Stephanie and their father just stayed where they were. Adam finally looked over at Stephanie.

"You seem to know so much. How long?" Adam started to pace.

"I figured it out at New Year's."

"And you didn't say anything?" he accused.

"Adam, this is not the time or the place," said his father.

Stephanie spotted Tess' tote. "Tess didn't grab her bag." She picked it up.

Adam held his hand out. "I'll run it down."

Stephanie pulled the bag close to her. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"I won't saying anything to her. I'll just run the bag down. Come on, Steph. She needs her ID."

"You promise not leave your sister be, Adam?"

"Yes, Dad."

He nodded. "Stephanie give him the bag." Stephanie reluctantly handed it over. "Remember, not the time or the place, Adam."

"I got it," Adam replied. He took the bag and headed for the ER. He made a quick detour to the lobby. Adam dug into Tess' bag and pulled out her cell phone. He flipped through her contacts and pressed send.

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Translations: mezemhoney; kedvelbeloved; Nagymama/Nagyanya Grandma/Grandmother


	23. Drowning in my loneliness

A/N: Really don't own them. See intro for anything else. Thank you for the reviews. Congrats to Soccer-Bitch for being review #100. Don will be by anytime with your prize. Want a prize? Then ya gotta review.

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Don tipped his beer back and took a hit. He leaned against the wall watching Danny miss his shot. He pushed away and grinned. "Well, that settles it, Messer, you are so going down."

Danny waved his pool cue at Don. "Ya think so?"

"Ain't no thinkin' involved. I _know_." Don tapped his temple.

"I'll bet ya fifty."

"That you're gonna lose? Not much confidence, Danny. Moonin' after Lindsay has changed ya, Man." Don smirked as he shook his head.

"No, ya idiot. I bet ya fifty, yer goin' down," corrected Danny. "An' speakin' of moonin', who was callin' me up the minute his girl flew outta town cuz he was lonely?"

Don stopped his circling of the table and looked over at Danny. "I'm pretty sure that was you."

"I don't think so."

"Yeah. It was." Don looked up from the table. "Ya could fly out there."

"To Montana?"

"That _is _where Linds went, right?"

Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. I don't know if she wants me there though."

"What Lindsay wants hasn't stopped ya from chasin' her before."

""This comin' from the man whose girl is in Toledo without him."

"My situation is just a little more complicated," replied Don. He lined up cue ball, shot and sent the stripped ball straight into the pocket. He walked over to his next shot. "I think yer scared."

"Fine words comin' from you, Flack."

Don sunk another striped ball. "Oh, I'll admit that I'm scared. Completely terrified. But I wouldn't go back. Not for a minute."

Danny shook his head. "I never thought I'd see the day."

Don looked up and grinned. "Amazing, isn't it?" He sunk his last stripped ball. "Eight ball, side pocket," he called. He lined up his final shot, and then lifted his head briefly. "Kiss that fifty good-bye, Messer."

Danny took a long pull on his beer. "Yer gonna choke like always, Flack." Don drew the cue back and sent it forward. The cue ball flew at its target. It hit the eight ball and spun backward. The eight ball fell into the pocket with a snap.

"You were sayin'?" Don picked up his beer and took a swig.

"That's it's a good thing ya won. After all, you have a kid comin'. Yer gonna need the money."

Don waved his beer bottle at Danny. "Sure. That's yer excuse." Don's phone rang. He grinned at Danny. "Speakin' of Tess." He thumbed the phone to answer. "Hiya, Sweetheart." There was silence at the other end. "Tess?"

"This is Adam. Tess' brother."

Don set his beer down. Danny's face fell as he watched the look of panic pass over his best friend's face. "What happened ta Tess?" Don gripped the edge of the table. His heart started pounding.

"Tess collapsed and is going down to Emergency."

Don suddenly unfroze. He headed for the door, grabbing his coat on the way. "I'm on the next flight ta Toledo. I'll call when I get there. Tell Tess I love her." He thumbed off the phone. "Gotta run, Danny. Tess is in Emergency."

"The baby?"

"Dunno. Adam jus' said she collapsed. I gotta go."

"Why would Adam be calling and tellin' ya Tess is in Emergency in Toledo?"

"Adam, Tess' brother, not Adam Ross. I'll let ya know." Don slammed the door behind him.

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Adam snapped the phone shut and dropped it back into Tess' tote. He clenched and unclenched his hand. He fought to bring his emotions under control and headed down to the ER. Adam caught up with Tess in the ER waiting area. He handed her the tote. She looked up at him with wary eyes. Adam kept his face blank.

"You forgot this. I assume your wallet's inside."

"Thanks. They wouldn't check me in until I had ID." She searched his face. It revealed nothing. "No lecture?"

"I promised Dad." Adam stepped back and watched his sister as an admissions tech checked her in. When the tech stepped away he approached her again. "I left Dad and Steph upstairs. Who do you want to stay with you until you're through?"

Tess shook her head. "I don't need anyone to stay. I'm fine, but who knows how long it'll take _them_ to be satisfied. No one else needs to lose sleep."

"You don't have to sit here by yourself. Do you want me to send Steph down?"

Tess shook her head again. "John's been trapped all evening with Nagyanya Zsuzsu. Now given a choice, I'd take her over Nagymama Sophie, but I don't John is going to have the same opinion."

"Then I'll stay."

"Well, that will at least keep my blood pressure up," griped Tess.

"Your choice is Steph or me."

"My _choice_ is for all of you to go home."

"Well, that isn't going to happen. How will you get home?"

"I can take a cab. There _are_ cabs in Toledo."

"You aren't taking a cab. Me or Steph?"

"Are you going to bully Stephanie into staying with me?"

"If that's what you want." Tess started to protest again. Adam pushed away from the wall. "I'll send Steph down." He walked off before Tess could say anything else.

Tess was ensconced in an exam room when Stephanie appeared. She looked very disgruntled as she flopped down into the bedside chair.

"It's your fault anyway," accused Tess.

"I wasn't the one that knocked you up."

"No, you were just the one that blurted it out to Daddy and Adam. In front of a nurse, who's making me sit here in the ER."

"You were lying on the floor, Tess."

Tess sighed and lay back against the bed. "Me fainting after sitting for a long time is nothing new. I'm just a little dehydrated and stressed."

"And a little pregnant," reminded Stephanie.

"Which is my business, not yours."

"Well, it's all out now," grumbled Stephanie.

"Yes, it is. Not the best timing, Big Sister. Don't you think Daddy had enough stress going on right now without adding that little tidbit?"

Stephanie leaned forward and glared at Tess. "I really didn't do it on purpose, Tessie."

"Well, on purpose or not, you did it, _Stephie_." The two sisters glared at each other until Stephanie looked away.

She looked back at Tess with slight smile playing about her lips. "You were probably too busy to notice, but Adam turned all shades of red."

Tess rolled her eyes. "I'm glad you think almost giving Adam a stroke is funny." Tess looked at the ceiling and dug her finger into her scalp. "God. The lecture he's gonna give me."

"He won't be the only one," pointed out Stephanie.

"Eva and Stash," groaned Tess. "Uncle Stash already told me I had better be at Mass tomorrow morning. Maybe now that I'm a fallen woman I can get out of it. Maybe they won't find out until I head back for New York." Tess looked over at Stephanie. "Maybe if you can keep your mouth shut." They dropped into silence again.

"I'm sorry I'm not Don." Tess glanced over at her sister with a funny look. Stephanie shrugged. "I mean he should be here with you waiting to hear everything is okay."

"Everything _is_ okay," insisted Tess. She leaned back against the bed again. "His birthday was a week ago tomorrow. He turned thirty. I had a surprise party on Saturday."

"And you didn't invite me?"

"Ha. Ha." Tess glared at her sister then closed her eyes. "This has been such a crazy year. Nowhere even close to a year." Tess took a deep breath and slowly let it out. With the inactivity of waiting, she was starting to feel the exhaustion creeping over her.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything," Stephanie apologized.

Tess shrugged. "It might have gone better, it might not have. Too late to worry about it now," Tess sighed. A doctor came in with Tess' chart putting an end to their conversation.

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It was very early morning when Tess and Stephanie finally escaped the hospital. They wearily walked out to the parking garage, the frigid air doing nothing to stir them.

"I don't suppose they'll let us sleep in tomorrow," whined Stephanie.

"You mean today. You might be able to. I'm sure Adam will be getting me up very early to yell at me." Tess dug in her tote looking for her phone. She found it and pulled it out. She checked the time. "Maybe I should just go straight to Mass." Tess held up her phone. "It's about six am."

"You have got to be kidding me. I'm gonna kill Adam."

"Good. Then you'll be in worse trouble than I am." Tess flipped open her phone.

Stephanie looked at her incredulously. "You're gonna cam him?"

Tess shook her head. "No. I want to put off Adam's 'discussion' as long as possible. It's just…"

"You're checking voice mail." Tess blushed a little. Stephanie smiled. "Hey, that's fine. Cute even."

"Yeah. That's just what I wanted to hear." Tess flipped open her phone. Missed call, voice mail. She pressed the button to listen now. Tess punched in the access code, waited through the intro and resaved three messages. Finally, her new messages started to play.

"Tess. This is Bette. Don just called. He said you were in Emergency. God, I hope you're alright. He's on his way, but his flight won't get in until late morning. Tess, please take care of yourself. Call me as soon as you can." Tess stopped.

Stephanie had continued forward for a few steps before she realized it. She turned back toward Tess and frowned. 'What?" Tess just waved a hand at her sister.

"Tess, Sweetheart. Goddamn airport. Sorry. The flight's hung-up. It'll be later than I thought. I don't even know if yer listening ta yer voice mail. I shoulda jus' flown out with ya. How come ya couldn't come from somewheres with more flights? Never mind. It's just hanging out in airports not knowin' what's goin' on. I'll grab a cab when I land. I love you, Sweetheart." Confusion enveloped Tess.

Stephanie's unease grew as she watched her sister growing more concerned. "Tess, what's going on?" Tess just waved her hand again and continued to listen to messages.

"Tess, Sweetheart, the frickin' plane is finally getting ready ta take off. They finally managed ta de-ice it or whatever the hell they were fuckin' around wit'. Sorry. I'm being waved at ta turn off the phone. Jus' a minute. Ya won't be able to talk ta me. _Please_ leave a voice mail. I'll call ya as soon as I can. Okay. Okay. See. I'm turning it off. Love ya. Please be okay. _Promise me_." The message ended. Tess shakily pulled the phone from her ear. She sat down on the edge of a parking barrier.

"Tess?" Tess didn't answer for a minute. She looked up at Stephanie. The eyes were dark with rage. Stephanie took a step back.

"Did you call Don?" she asked very slowly, working hard not to scream. Stephanie shook her head.

"Adam," they both said at the same time. Tess resisted the urge to smash her phone. She wanted to break something. Anything. It had been a long time since she had been so absolutely furious.

"I…am…going…to…kill…him," she ground out through clenched teeth. Stephanie believed her. She was almost willing to help Tess do it. Tess flipped open her phone and held down a button. She tugged hard on her braid while she waited for it to ring through. "Don." She took a deep breath, trying desperately to bring her rage under control. "I wish I could have talked to you. Or talk to you now." She took another deep breath. "God. I wish I knew exactly what Adam said to you. I'm fine." Tess took a deep breath. "The baby is fine." Her voice rose in pitch. Tess felt tears starting to prickle. She took several deep breaths. She didn't want to panic Don any more over nothing. "The doctor did an ultrasound. He didn't need too. There was nothing wrong." Tess tried to swallow back the tears. "I know you wanted to be there. I made sure we got a couple of pictures." Tess could feel the cold dribble of tears over her cheeks. She tugged at the end of her braid. "I was dehydrated. I had been sitting too long. I stood up too fast." She snuffled a little. "And I was just a little stressed." Tess dug at her eyes. "I'm _still_ a little stressed. I'll call you again. Hopefully, I'll get through. I love you." Tess snapped her phone shut and stared at it. Her anger had deflated as she had talked to Don's voice mail, leaving her feeling even more rung out.

Stephanie touched her arm. "Are you okay?"

Tess shook her head. "No. No, I'm not. There is nothing the least bit okay about this whole situation." Tess shivered. "However, since I don't plan to freeze, I can't just sit here." She stood up. "I don't want to go home just yet. Why don't you drop me by St. Stephen's?"

"Are you sure?"

Tess nodded. "Yeah. I need to be on some neutral ground. I still feel like throttling Adam."

"I could do that for you," suggested Stephanie.

"Don't. Just let Daddy know I'm okay and that I'll catch up with him later."

"You shouldn't run away, Tess."

"I'm not." A brief smile passed over her face, and she shook her head. "I'm just getting off the thin ice."

"You're crazy, Tess."

"Pretty much," agreed Tess.

Stephanie sighed. "Come on or you aren't gonna make Mass." She started for the car with Tess following.

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	24. Will you be the same as when I saw you l

A/N: Don't own them, don't sue. See the intro for the standard stuff. This one's just a little on the short side. Thank you to all of you who continually review. I do enjoy hearing from you. It's the only way I know if you're really reading my crazy ramblings.

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Tess stood on the front walk of her parent's house. She looked at the door not really wanting to go in. Tess knew whatever happened next wasn't going to be pleasant. She scuffed her toe in the snow. She felt much calmer after Mass. _Not that everything was all angel choirs_. She still had a small ember of anger waiting to flare up at Adam for interfering, but she was much more worried about talking to her father. Tess sighed heavily. _No use putting off the inevitable._ She headed up the walk. Tess' phone rang. _Saved by the bell. Kind of._

"Hello, Don." Tess opened the door to the glassed in porch, walked in and took a seat on the glider.

"I'm in Detroit for a layover. I just got yer message. Are ya really okay?"

"Would you like to clarify that?" sighed Tess.

"There is nothing physically wrong with you _or_ the baby," grumbled Don. "I'm not really up fer games, Tess."

"We are both fine. Except for a small bump on my head." Tess could hear Don start to ask, so she quickly continued on. "Really, I'm fine. It didn't break the skin. It just hurts." Tess rocked slowly back and forth. She closed her eyes and leaned back. "I'm sorry you flew out here over nothing."

"How's yer mom?"

"I don't know. I haven't been to the hospital yet this morning. As of last night, she's still on track to get out of ICU today. If she wakes up that is, or they bring her out of sedation. I'm still not clear on that exactly."

"It could be either. I was out for a few days and then was still under sedation," Don stated.

Tess couldn't believe how calmly he had rattled that off_. And you keep thinking how crazy things have been for you. Eight months ago Don was the one lying unconscious in a hospital bed._ She didn't really want to dwell on that too closely. "How long are you stuck at Metro?"

"'Scuse me?"

"Detroit. Metro Airport. How long are you stuck there?" Tess repeated.

"I dunno. It was supposed to be forty-five minutes, but I missed my connector. I think I'm due out in an hour or so."

Tess snickered. "I could drive up to Detroit and fetch you in that amount of time."

"Yer kiddin'."

"No. Actually, I'm not. Metro Airport is only about fifty miles away. But you paid for a ticket."

"I don't really care about that. Do ya really mean ya can drive here and pick me up?"

"Not any faster than you can fly here." Tess heard the front door open and close. She glanced over and saw her father standing there holding a steaming cup. He sat down on the glider, set the cup on a side table and rocked with Tess. He looked straight forward. "Just a minute. Daddy came out with a cup of something." Tess took the phone from her ear. "Hi, Daddy."

He looked over at Tess. "Go ahead and talk to him. We'll talk when you are done."

"Are you sure?" Her father nodded. Tess picked up the phone. "Don? Are you still there?"

"Was I s'posed ta go somewheres?" Annoyance was very evident in Don's voice. "Nope. Still in the airport here."

Tess sighed. "Do you want me to come up there and pick you up or do you want to fly down here?" she asked slowly.

"Is it okay for ya ta come an' pick me up?"

"I'm not made of glass. I told you everything's okay." Tess' temper started to rise.

"I _meant_ could ya git a car? And would yer family have a problem wit it?" he growled back.

"Oh." She relaxed. "I think so. On the car, that is. As for the other? Who knows? Can I sink lower?"

"Tess, I'm going ta chalk that up ta being stressed. Ya know that's not true."

"So you say. Anyhow. I could probably come up there."

"Then I'd really like ya ta come an' git me."

"Okay. It'll take me a little bit. I need to take a shower and have something to eat."

"I'll get breakfast here while I wait fer ya."

"I'll see you soon, Don. I love you."

"Love ya too, Sweetheart." Tess flipped her phone shut and kept rocking with her hands in her lap.

"I brought you some chicken broth," Tess' father finally said. He picked up the mug and held it out for Tess. "Your mother used to drink a lot of this when she couldn't hold anything else down."

Tess took the mug and sipped it. _It was still warm._ _Just right in fact._ "Thank you, Daddy." They both rocked for a little longer. Tess drank the broth. Silence stretched between them.

"You should be getting ready soon. Your...your…" He was unsure what to call Don. "Well, Don will be waiting. We'll talk later. The three of us."

Tess looked down at the empty mug cradled in her hands. "I'm sorry, Daddy."

Tess' father looked over at her. He reached out and tucked some stray hair behind her ear. "Sorry for what, Mezem? This is not exactly how I pictured things, but I've learned this week that we don't always get what we plan." He reached over and squeezed Tess hand. "Maybe your mother will be awake later. She's getting a grandbaby. That is good news." Tess just nodded, tears starting to trickle down her cheeks. He father shook his head, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and puller her next to him. Tess laid her head on his shoulder. "Teresa, I love you. Your mother loves you. I can only guess why you didn't say anything to us sooner. I'm pretty sure I'd be right, but…" He fell back into silence. "Ultimately, Tess, it is your business. And I told your brother as much." Tess sat up and looked at him. A small smile played on his face. "Oh, there was quite an interesting discussion on that subject this morning. I'm pretty sure that Adam is still smarting from it. Stephanie worked him over good."

"Way to go Steph," mumbled Tess.

Her father tried to frown, but failed. "Well, your brother wasn't entirely wrong." Tess just looked away. "He forgets that you're thirty sometimes." He shrugged. "I can't blame him. I forget sometimes too. You need to get going. I'll have you drop me by the hospital and then you can head up to Detroit. Okay?"

"Thank you, Daddy."

He smiled. "I want to meet this man, the father of my grandbaby. I hear tell that he's a Yankee's fan," he added with a wink. "I'll try not to hold that against him."

Tess grinned and rolled her eyes. "He roots for the Rangers too."

Tess' father shook his head sadly. "Well, I guess somebody has too. At least he likes sports. Not like… Anyway, go on now." Tess kissed her father's cheek and went into the house. Her father sat rocking and staring out into the street.

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	25. If you were the woman, and I was the man

A/N: See intro for the standard stuff. Come on. If I really owned Flack he'd have a better girlfriend than Devon. Thank you for the reviews. It's always great to hear from people. The crickets sometimes get a little loud.

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Tess pulled off I-94 and headed for the terminals. She dug out her cell phone and held down a speed dial button. While she waited for it to connect, she wove her way carefully though traffic.

"Hi. I just got off the freeway."

"Are ya talkin' while yer drivin'?"

"Yes. I'm in the airport and going slow," Tess huffed. "I just need to know what airlines you came in on. I forgot to ask and I need to know where you are. I can't just bring you up on the GPS."

"Northwest. Now git off the phone."

"Fine, Officer Safety. I'll swing by there soon. Bye."

"Then I'll git out ta the curb. As soon as I figure out where that is. An' that's _Detective_ Safety. I'm no beat cop. I passed my exams. Bye." Tess snapped her phone shut and shook her head. She had to circle through the airport complex and past the arrivals gates twice before she finally spotted Don. He flagged her down and she maneuvered her way to the curb. Tess popped the door locks. Don tossed his bag into the back seat and slid into the front next to Tess. She glanced over her shoulder and pulled back into traffic. Don looked her over. Tess grew unconfortable under his probing stare.

"What?" she asked keeping her eyes out for other people not paying attention.

"Did ya sleep at all last night?" Tess ignored his question as she wound her way out of the airport and back to the freeway. "Tess?"

"Do I look that bad?" Tess reached up and pushed her glasses up her nose. A red Probe cut right across her nose. She lay on the horn and gripped the steering wheel hard.

"Ya look like ya haven't slept."

Her eyes briefly flickered his way. "That would be pretty accurate." Don swore under his breath. "What? Did you get any sleep?" she grumbled.

"Just a couple of hours," he admitted.

"Well then, don't pick at me."

"Git off on this exit."

"Why? I can drive." Tess drove past the exit. Don swore again. He took a deep breath.

"Tess, please git off the road," he requested calmly.

Tess could feel her face turning red. "I am fine," she said tightly.

"Okay. You can drive jus' fine. I'd still like ya ta pull over for a minute."

Tess said nothing. Her lips were drawn in a tight line. She pulled off on the next exit and into a gas station. She slammed the car into park and turned off the engine. Tess sat back with a bounce and glared at Don.

"So, I pulled off. Now what?"

"Could ya git out of the car?"

Tess folded her arms over her chest. "I told you that I was fine and that I can drive." Her voice rose in volume and pitch. She watched anger and frustration flash over Don's face as he fought the urge to snap back at her.

"I heard ya, Sweetheart. Would ya still please git outta the car?"

Tess unsnapped her belt and wrenched the car door open. She got out, slammed the door and leaned heavily against the car, arms crossed. She was breathing heavily when Don finally made his way over in front of her. She glared at the toes of his shoes. Don suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace. He felt her stiffen in confusion and gripped her tighter. Tess tilted her head up to look into his face. Don's lips crashed into hers for a searing kiss. Tess' hands slipped up to his jacket collar so she could hold on. Don ended the kiss, keeping Tess tight against him and leaning his forehead on hers. Both were panting slightly.

"Oh," she said, her anger completely extinguished.

"Do ya git it now?"

"Yeah. I think you spelled it out loud and clear." Tess leaned back so she could see his face. His eyes were damp. Tess sucked in her breath and felt an answering prickle in her eyes. Her knees started to buckle, so she leaned against the car. Don closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Please, Tess. Sweetheart, don't cry. I've been barely holdin' it together the last twelve hours as it is." He pulled Tess back against him and rubbing his cheek against her hair. "I can't decide if I want ta keep holdin' ya or if I wanna git back in the car and keep warm." With his crack the tension snapped. Tess leaned back and looked up into his eyes. She smiled a little.

"My love isn't keeping you warm enough?" She tugged on his watch cap. "You have a hat at least. Doesn't it help?"

Don grinned back at her. "'Fraid not. But I do have scorch marks from yer temper."

Tess colored slightly. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

Don traced his thumbs over her cheeks. Tess was amazed at the raw emotion she saw in his eyes. Don looked up at the leaden sky. "God. Tess." Don swallowed. "When yer brother called… I was playin' pool at Danny's. I couldn't git outta there fast enough. I heard you had gone into Emergency an' I was sick. I got out ta the sidewalk just on time ta puke. All that kept runnin' through my mind was that you were losin' our baby." He swallowed again. "An' I wasn't even in the same state," he ended on a whisper.

Tess reached up and tilted Don's face back down. Again she was blown away by what she saw in his deep blue eyes. "I love you, Donald Flack Jr. Marry me." The words just spilled out. Tess almost laughed at the confusion that filled his face.

"'Cuse me?"

"I said, 'Marry me.' Your hat interfering with your hearing?"

"Yer serious?" Tess nodded. Don tilted his head slightly to the side. "I've been buggin' ya for weeks and now…" Don shook his head and a grin split his face. He picked Tess up and spun around. Tess beat on his shoulders.

"Put me down. It's slippery out here. We're going to fall."

Don set her back down. He framed her face with his hands. "Too late for that. I fell a while back." He leaned in close to her. "Are ya sure, Tess?" Tess just smiled and nodded. Don grinned again and kissed her breathless. He stepped away. "We need ta get a move on. I meant it about feelin' cold." Don gave Tess a quick kiss and opened the car door. Tess slid back behind the steering wheel. She started the car, buckled up and waited for Don to get in. "Okay. Off we go." Tess shook her head a little. "What?"

"Guess I can't kill Adam now. If he hadn't called you wouldn't be here."

Don took one of Tess' hands and kissed it. "I think killin' him would be a bad idea. But I wouldn't exactly let him off da hook either."

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	26. But to him I'm just some fella

A/N: See intro for the usual. Please R &R. Thanks much.

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Tess stood at the back of the elevator with her arms crossed over her chest, staring at the head of the person standing in front of her. Don glanced over at her trying to read her expression. She was stone-faced. He watched her take a deep breath and close her eyes. He reached over and tucked some stray hairs back behind her ear. Tess looked over at him and he could see the panic in her eyes. _That makes two of us, Sweetheart_, he thought. He tried to smile a little. A ghost of a smile flickered over Tess' face. Don's stomach lurched a little, but he couldn't tell if it was love for Tess or the idea of meeting her father that was giving him the butterflies. The elevator stopped and Tess pushed away from the wall.

"This is our floor," she said and made her was out of the elevator with Don trailing behind. She stepped out into the elevator lobby and stopped. Tess tugged on her braid and looked at the tops of Don's shoes.

"Tess, sooner's better than later."

Tess nodded. "I know." Tess looked up at Don and back down. "I just have to…" Tess looked up again. "Please don't freak out."

Don frowned, a little confused. "Whatdaya mean, 'don't freak out?' Yer dad knows I'm coming, right?" Tess nodded, still fiddling with her braid. "He knows about…" Tess bounced her head back and forth. "Well then what?"

Tess took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Apparently I never mentioned you…"

"Ya never what?" Don felt the heat rushing his face. "Geeze, Tess. So yer folks have no clue about me?" He shifted his weight and glared Tess. "Oh wait, they _do_ know that I'm the guy that knocked their daughter up." Don took a deep breath and let it out in a sharp hiss. "I suppose I should be _grateful_ ya decided to give me the heads up on this."

"It's not like I kept you some big secret." Tess felt her eyes starting to water. She blinked hard. _I'm not going to cry. That isn't going to help._ "It just never came up and things got crazy and…"

"This is just terrific, Tess. No wonder ya didn't want to tell yer folks about the baby. They didn't even know yer dating anybody.""

"I am _so_ sorry. If I could go back, I'd talk about you constantly." Tess sighed heavily and fiddled with her braid. Tess looked up at Don. "I'm a little shocked I hadn't." Tess let out a shuddering sigh. She looked back down at the floor. "Looking back, I haven't really talked much to my folks a whole lot recently. Even before, you know…and after…well I was purposely avoiding talking to them." Tess felt the tears spilling over and didn't try to stop them this time. "I didn't come home for Thanksgiving and I spent all of three days home at Christmas and then we were visiting everyone and…" Tess looked up the hall and then into Don's eyes. "I am _so, so_ sorry."

Don felt his anger evaporating slightly. He still felt a little burn in his gut, but it wasn't really enough to let Tess keep beating herself up over. He tugged on her coat sleeve, pulled her close and wrapped her in a tight embrace. Tess balled her fist up in the front of his jacket and sobbed in his arms. Don held her tighter and rocked slightly. Don lay his head on hers and stood holding her. He slowly breathed in and out. No cinnamon or ginger or any other scent he associated with Tess filled his nostrils. Just shampoo and damp wool. They stood there for several seconds. Tess finally stopped crying and pulled away a little. Don tucked his fingers under Tess' chin and tilted her face up. Her eyes and nose were bright red. Don tried giving her a small smile.

"You'd better hit a bathroom before I go meet yer dad. He's gonna wonder what I've been doin' ta ya."

Tess dug at her eyes. "Do I look that bad?"

"Ya look like ya've been balling yer eyes out." Don kissed her hair softly. "Go on. Git cleaned up an' ya can introduce me." He gave her hand a small squeeze. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten so pissed at ya. You've hada rough couple of days. An' it's not like I've spent hours an' hours tellin' my family every little detail about you either."

Tess sighed. "Yeah, but they've met me. They at least knew you were kind of serious even before…"

"But they don't live in Toledo. " Don smiled at Tess. "It'll be okay. I'll just have to show yer dad how charmin' I can be."

Tess wrinkled her nose. "Just keep off the topic of sports and you'll be fine." She pulled herself away and headed for the bathroom. Don was reading a notice board when Tess returned. "Okay. I think I look a little more presentable now."

Don smiled and touched her cheek. "Yer beautiful."

Tess rolled her eyes. "You don't have to test your charm out on me, Donald Flack Jr."

"Yer immune?" He raised an eyebrow.

Tess laughed. "Oh, far from it. If I was immune, we wouldn't be where we are now." Tess reached up and kissed him lightly. She took Don's hand and let him down the hall. She stopped in front of her mother's room. Tess peeked in. Her father was reading a book to her mother. Tess cleared her throat and he looked up. "All by yourself, Daddy?"

"I sent everyone away for awhile. The hovering was getting to me. You are back from the airport?"

"Yes."

"Well?"

Tess tugged Don into the room with her. She kept her fingers twined with his. "Daddy, this is Don Flack. Don, this is my father, Jozef Nagy."

Tess' father took his reading glasses off and set them on the nightstand. "Teresa, why don't you go for a walk."

"I'm not sure…"

"Teresa, I wasn't asking you. I want to talk to Don. If you are here,_ Mezem_, you will be doing the talking." Jozef looked over Tess' shoulder at Don trying to hide his grin. He tried to keep his lips from twitching too. "He will still be in one piece when you get back."

"But…"

Her father shook his head. "Good-bye, Teresa."

Don squeezed her hand. "I'll be fine, Sweetheart." Tess looked several times from her father to Don and back, still not wanting to leave.

"Okay. I'll go. I'll be in family waiting."

Tess' father stood up. "Stephanie and John are there. Your brother was going to work a little this morning. I am hoping it will cool him off before he comes back here." Tess winced slightly, nodded and left. She glanced one more time at Don before shutting the door. Don tried to give her a reassuring smile. When she had gone, he turned back to Tess' father. He found himself eye to eye with the older man. Tess had his eyes. Don felt slightly confused as he saw a little twinkle in them. Tess' father chuckled. "I'm not such a hot head as Adam or our Tess for that matter. Not any more." He nodded his head, looking back in his memories. "There was a time." Jozef waved at the second chair. "Please sit." Don did, sitting on the edge, hunched over, his forearms resting on his knees, warily watching Tess' father. "You look as if you don't believe me."

Don's moth thinned into a grim line. "Well, Sir, if she was my daughter…"

Jozef nodded. "It is not how I ever pictured things." He looked over at his wife. He sat watching her breath for several heartbeats. "Nothing in the past several days is how I ever pictured things. I would have preferred to have heard about you from Tess and to have met you before. I would have been much happier to have you married to my daughter, but we do not always get to chose." His voice was soft, tired. He looked over at Don. "Instead you are just living with my daughter and this is the first time we meet. After…I learn she is pregnant."

Don looked down at the floor. He almost wished the man was yelling. Don could rumble with the best of them. This quiet disappointment was harder. It gave nothing to react against_. It just buffeted you, wearing you down. _"I asked Tess…I asked several times." Don tried to mount a defense.

"You asked Tess to marry you? And she said no?"

Don looked up and met Jozef's eyes. "I'm sorry, Sir, but Tess can be a little…" He trailed off.

"Stubborn. I am afraid she has gotten that from me." Jozef picked up his wife's hand and stroked it. "Her anger, that comes from Veronika. Her hard-headedness, from me. A rock is what Veronika likes to call me." Jozef patted Veronika's hand. "But a rock can be a good thing too, yes, _kedvel_? Not so easy right now." Don cleared his throat. Jozef looked over at him. "I am sorry."

Don shook his head. "Ya don't have to be. The talking to her is good." Don looked away. "I know. I have some…experience…with this."

Jozef frowned. "Experience with what?"

Don shifted in his chair. "The unconsciousness thing."

Jozef's frown deepened. "You were injured? Like this?"

"Um." Don cleared his throat. "I was injured in an explosion." He cleared his throat again. "Last May."

"Some criminal blew you up?"

"He wasn't really tryin' to blow me up. Not exactly. I kinda got caught in the building he was blowin' up."

"Teresa was by an explosion in May. Did you know my daughter then?"

Don shook his head hard. "No, I only met Tess in…" He stopped. He wasn't doing so well. The cop who didn't break when badgered by defense lawyers was falling apart under simple questioning from a college professor. "Tess wasn't there because of me, Sir."

Jozef nodded. "But your job can be dangerous." Don started to answer. Jozef held up his hand. "No need to answer that. Just being alive can be dangerous. My father was just a teacher. His job was dangerous. Teresa's also. I thought things were better at the school she is at, but then…" Jozef met Don's eyes. "I have to say I am not fond of New York. I don't like Tess being there." Don started to ay something again. Jozef cut him off. "I know. New York is a big city. There are good parts and bad parts. Good people and bad people. The same as anywhere else. It doesn't make it easier for me. Letting go of Tess is hard." Jozef pinned Don with an intent gaze. "Adam and Stephanie are much older. We had lost babies. Tess was a surprise. A gift." Jozef looked away. "The first time she smiled…"

"She was watching the Tigers trounce the Yankees. I was sitting across the bar with one of my buddies. She tried to be subtle, but every time the Tigers scored her whole face lit up. Quick. She isn't stupid, but... She knew she was deep in enemy territory, but she couldn't help it." Don was looking at the tips of his shoes. "She wouldn't even tell me her name." Don looked back up at Jozef. He smiled at Don.

"As you said, my girl is not stupid." Jozef smiled briefly. "And that being the case…" He glanced over at his wife. Jozef looked back at Don. "But you two have no plans to marry?"

"Tess finally agreed to marry me today. But as to when, we have no plans. I know what I'd like…"

"But Tess will have her own ideas. I am glad to see you are a patient man, Don."

Don chuckled. "Never be called that before. I think I'm just as stubborn as Tess, that's all."

Jozef laughed. "Good luck to both of you then. Things will never be dull." He glanced toward the door. "Speaking of Tess, I'm sure she is pacing tugging at her hair. Maybe you should let her know that you are alright. We will talk again later. You are not running back to New York right away?"

"I wasn't sure what I'd find, so I got a couple of days."

Jozef shook his head sadly. "I am sorry my son caused you such distress. But…I am glad that we will get the chance to know each other better."

Don bobbed his head. "Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."

Tess' father chuckled. "Please, Don. Don't be so formal. Joe is fine. Just do not let my mother hear. She still insists that she named me Jozef and that is what I should be called." Don looked up startled. Joe smiled at him and tapped his nose. "You see, I am well over fifty and still she tries to run my life." He nodded his head toward the door. "Go and find, Tess." Joe looked back over at Veronika. Don got the idea he had been dismissed, got up and left the room. Joe waited until the door shut before talking to his wife. "So what do you think, _kadvel_? Will he take good care of our Tess? Be a good husband to her? Father to her baby?" Joe sighed. "I think I like him, Veronika." Joe sighed heavily again and looked at the door. "I believe he is good. This man who is taking my little girl away."

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	27. The paths your eyes wander down

A/N: I can't believe that it's been that long since I last updated. I am so sorry. It will go quicker from now on. For one thing, I just realized I started this story _**before**_ I became pregnant w/ my youngest and he's gonna be two a few months. Poor Tess has had a _very_ long pregnancy. _And_ I really need to get them out of Toledo and back to NYC. Besides poor Flack needs a little cuddle. Even though it's in my AU and the other will never happen here. Mean, evil TPTB.

If anyone is still out there hanging on, thanks. Please R&R, that's my addiction. - B

ps: the chapter title should have a familiar tune, although not the familiar verse.

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Don reached for the doorknob of the waiting room. He paused a moment and looked through the window. Tess was curled up on one of the couches asleep. Don grinned slightly and shook his head. He quietly opened the door and slid inside. He crouched down next to Tess. A man sitting on the far side of the room bent his paper down.

"She came in and almost immediately curled up."

Don flashed a wry smile. "She's pregnant. Her ma's busted up down there. It's been a rough coupla days for her."

The man glanced at his watch and folded up the paper. "Sorry about her mother. Congrats to you two."

"Thanks." The man nodded, pushed himself up out of the chair and left. Don ran his hand over Tess' hair. She didn't stir. Don just stayed there fingering Tess' hair. He picked up a burnt honey lock and let the strands slowly drift down. He kissed her forehead. Tess' eyes opened slowly. Don smiled at her. "Hiya, Sleeping Beauty."

Tess rolled her eyes. "I'm no pampered princess."

"Pampered? No." Don picked up her hand and kissed it. Tess sat up, tugging on Don's hand. He slid up onto the couch next to her. Tess laid her head on his shoulder. Don bounced their joined hands on his leg. "But I jus' talked to someone who certainly thinks yer a princess."

Tess ducked her head. "Daddy can be…"

"It's okay, Tess." Don squeezed Tess' hand. "He loves ya. Can't fault him for that. And for him wantin' to protect ya. I'm afraid he's doesn't like our city much." Tess groaned and her head fell back. "I didn't even talk sports. Well, that's not entirely true," he admitted.

"Don…"

"Hey, I'm in one piece. Not even a good tongue lashing." Don slid his arm around Tess. "Maybe that comes later. Joe said he wants ta talk some more later."

Tess tilted her head up at Don, an amused smile lighting her face. "Joe, is it?" Her smile deepened. "He likes you."

Don smiled back and relaxed. "Ya think?"

Tess laughed. "You were scared. The big, bad New York detective was scared." She punched Don lightly in the shoulder.

"Hey. Don't." Tess moved to punch him again. Don grabbed her wrists and pinned them. "Ya think yer so funny, Sweetheart." Don took a deep breath. "Yeah, talkin' at yer dad scares me. Wonder why?"

Tess leaned forward and kissed him lightly. "I love you." Don groaned and let her go.

"Yer jus' plain crazy, Sweetheart. Ya know that, right?" Tess just grinned at him. Don shook his head. He pulled Tess close again.

"So you actually brought up sports?"

"Not really. Yer dad was explaining how you were a gift. That yer folks hadn't been expecting to have ya." Don looked down at Tess and ran a finger along her cheek. He looked back out into the room. "He started talkin' 'bout the first time ya smiled. I started talkin' about seein' ya watchin' the game in the bar and…" Tess made a small noise. Don glanced over at her. Tess' eyes were damp. "What?"

Tess shook her head. "You didn't_ really_ fall for me that first time in the bar?"

Don looked away. "Well, no. That's just crazy. But if the Yankees hadn't been blowin' the game I probably wouldn't have noticed ya…"

"Well, thank God for the Yanks losing." Tess grinned. "Although…"

"What?"

Tess rocked her head back and forth. "If they hadn't lost you wouldn't be here sitting with your pregnant girlfriend, visiting her mother in a hospital in Toledo."

"Right now, I wouldn't trade a win for that." Don squeezed her hand. He reached out and wiped away the tear trickling down Tess' cheek.

"I'm sorry. …"

"Hormones." They both said at the same time grinning. Tess yawned loudly. Don sighed and wrapped his arm around her, pushing her head down on his shoulder. Tess relaxed against him, then suddenly sat back up.

"Were we supposed to go back in and talk with Daddy?" Don shook his head. "Oh." Tess curled up next to him again. Soon Don heard her breathing become more relaxed and he felt her slump next to him. Don slowly rubbed his hand up and down Tess' arm and carefully shifted into a more comfortable position. He looked over at the TV quietly running in the corner. Jaguars leapt from branch to branch.

A few minutes later the door opened and Stephanie and John came in. Stephanie looked over at Don and her sleeping sister and gave a small wave.

"Good." She mouthed. Don nodded slightly. Stephanie and John sat in chairs across from Don and Tess. Stephanie watched Tess breathing slowly. "I'm glad she's finally getting some sleep. I could kill Adam."

Don shrugged. "It wasn't a big…" He glanced over at Stephanie who had an eyebrow raised. "OK. So it was kinda a big deal. I don't really mind being here though."

Stephanie peered intently at Don's face. "Daddy must like you. No wounds or nothing."

"It went okay." Don sighed a little. "It's yer brother I'm not lookin' forward to seein'."

"I think you can take him."

""I'm not lookin' to do that." Don shrugged. "I can't really blame him. I'd feel the same way if Tess was my sister."

"And now you know why I moved across the country. Having your family try to run you life is a drag." John chuckled. Stephanie shot him a nasty look. "What? You can't have an opinion. You don't have any family."

John grinned at Stephanie and squeezed her hand. "Why do you think I kept chasing you? I didn't want to die all alone."

Stephanie tried to put on a serious face. "That can still be arranged you know. Now stop it. We don't need to be putting on a drama for whoever comes in." Stephanie glanced at the door as if someone was staring in, watching them. Don stifled a snort. Tess shifted and slowly opened her eyes. She blinked at Stephanie and John.

"When'd you get here?"

"Hours and hours ago. You snore, Tessie," teased Stephanie.

"Do not, Steph," grumbled Tess rubbing her eyes.

Don kissed the top of her head. "I'll keep you anyhow, Sweetheart."

Tess glared at him. "Look who's talking, Donald."

Stephanie burst out laughing. "She's calling you by your full name. She's ticked."

"I wonder why I'm not in the best mood. I finally get some sleep and you come in here and stir up the place," Tess dropped into Hungarian to scold her sister.

"Tess, we're all a little tense. I was just trying to lighten the mood." Stephanie shot back.

"Hey, fight in English you two. There's no subtitles available," protested Don.

"Quit picking on the tired, hormonal, pregnant woman," growled Tess.

Don hugged Tess' shoulders and rubbed her arm. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart. We only pick because we care." Tess glowered at Don. Don kissed her forehead. "Your face is gonna freeze like that."

Tess rolled her eyes and her lips twitched. "I'll remember that, Grandpa."

"Hey, don't get ahead of yourself. We haven't even had this kid yet. I don't wanna even think about _him_ havin' kids."

"What if it's a girl?"

"She ain't goin' out until she's thirty."

"That didn't help," deadpanned Tess. Don looked at her strangely and then it dawned on him. He burst out laughing and gave Tess a hard quick kiss.

"That's my girl." They grinned at each other. Tess leaned against his shoulder.

Stephanie rolled her eyes at them. "Get a room. Oh, wait. Been there, done that." Tess and Stephanie burst into giggles.

Tess felt Don tense up next to her. She looked at the door and saw Adam scowling at them through the glass. She laid her hand over Don's clenched fist. She looked out at Adam and got up.

"Tess…," Don's voice held a warning note.

Tess turned back. "What? I have to go to the restroom. You stay here." She left the room, ignoring Adam as she brushed past him. Adam disappeared and shortly after voices could be heard arguing. Don swore under his breath and started to get up.

"Don't. You'll just make matters worse." Stephanie grabbed at Don's sleeve. He pulled away and rushed out the door.

Tess was backed against the wall with her fists balled on her hips. Adam was waving his arms around, his face deep red.

"Leave her alone," growled Don as he approached. Adam spun and caught Don in the face with his fist. Tess gasped and grabbed her brother's arm. Don just stood there and eyed Adam warily. He could feel his eye starting to swell. "Happy now?" Tess looked from one to the other. "Are you both happy now?" she spat in disgust.

Adam cradled his hand. "Oh, God. I think I hurt my hand."

Tess glared at him. "Serves you right." She looked from Adam to Don. "You finally got him to punch you. Feel punished enough? Idiots." Tess walked away from the two of them. Stephanie came out of the waiting room just as Christine stepped off the elevator. Stephanie shook her head. They all waved off the nurse that came to investigate. Stephanie glared at the two men.

"Are you boys done now? Don't we have enough drama going on?" She looked from Don to Adam. "Let's get you both ice. Where did Tess go?"

"She walked off," mumbled Don.

"I don't blame her." Stephanie glared at her brother. "Nothing Daddy or I said this morning penetrated that thick skull of yours, did it?"

"I…," Adam yelped as Christine manipulated his hand. Christine glowered at him and moved his fingers again.

"Very smart, Adam, you may have broken your hand," she stated. Christine sighed heavily. "You make your living with your hands. Why would possess you to do that? Your sister's a grown woman. It's her business."

"Well, how was I supposed to know…?"

"Don't even," warned Christine. She looked over at Stephanie. "Tell Jozef, we're sorry. I'm taking him downstairs to see if we can get someone to look at his hand." She led Adam away, mumbling about the stupidity of some people. Stephanie looked at Don.

"I should…," he started to say.

"What are all of you up to? I have a nurse come in and say my children are out here fighting…" Joe strode up to Stephanie and Don. Don tried to hide his face, but Joe caught sight of it. "Did Adam do that?" He demanded in Hungarian.

"I'm sorry, sir. I…" Don shook his head.

Joe sighed heavily. "Never mind. Where is Adam?" he asked in English.

"Christine took him downstairs. She's afraid he broke his hand."

"_Bolond_," spat Joe through clenched teeth.

"_Mindketto_, Daddy. _Mindketto_." Stephanie looked over at Don and shook her head. "Daddy, go on back to Mama. I'll get some ice for this one, then we'll try and track down Tess."

"And your John?"

"He's staying well clear."

"Smart man."

"I dunno, Daddy. He insists on marrying me."

Joe grinned at his daughter. "Like I said, smart man, _mezem_." Joe looked at Don and shook his head. He headed back down the hall.

Don looked sheepishly at Stephanie. "So I'm an idiot." Stephanie raised an eyebrow. "No, I don't suddenly speak Hungarian. But I speak 'angry and annoyed' very well."

"Not well enough to steer clear of Adam."

"Well, they don't usually hit me. Something about not assaulting a police officer usually does the trick."

"Self-righteous, over-protective brother trumps off-duty, out of jurisdiction cop every time."

"I'll keep that in mind." They stopped in front of the nurses' station. Before either of them could get a request out the nurse handed Don an ice pack. "Um. Thanks," he mumbled.

Don followed Stephanie back to the waiting room. She practically pushed him down into the seat next to John.

"Make sure he stays out of trouble. I gotta go track Tessie down."

Don started to get up. "Let me…"

"No. You stay here. Ice your eye. I'll find Tessie. Hopefully, she'll have cooled down enough by the time she gets back here. Otherwise, you may get a verbal assault to go with the physical one Adam gave you."

"I can handle Tess," protested Don.

Stephanie stepped up close to Don and stared him down. "I'm sure you can, and probably deserve to be yelled at by her. However, I think she has had enough today. Don't you?" Don leaned his head back and draped the ice pack over his eye. "Good choice. I'll be back."

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Stephanie found Tess sitting near the front of the chapel. She slid quietly in next to her. Tess finished praying, crossed herself and slid up onto the seat.

"How did you know where to find me?"

"I tried the cafeteria first. Then I remembered that when you were pissed at Adam this morning you asked to be dropped off at St. Stephen's. I took a chance." They sat silently for a couple of heartbeats. "Christine is worried Adam broke his hand."

"_Bolond_."

"Daddy said the same thing."

"Both of them."

"I said that."

"And Don's eye?"

"He's icing it. He'll have a lovely shiner."

"He's been looking for one ever since…" Tess sighed. "Well, now that one of my family has defended my honor maybe we can go on with life." Tess looked over at her sister. "Where did you park him?"

"John's keeping track of Don."

Tess pushed herself up. "Good. Let's hit the cafeteria and get some coffee and something to eat. I'm tired _and_ hungry."

"Being pregnant hasn't made you give up caffeine?"

Tess raised her eyebrows at her sister. "You are kidding me, right? Me give up caffeine?"

"Okay, it was a long shot. I blame your addiction on Nagyanya Zsuzsu."

Tess' eyes widened. "Stephie, are you calling our dear, sweet nagyanya a pusher?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Only of coffee." Stephanie looked seriously at Tess. She reached out and gently touched her shoulder. "Maybe you should have Don take you home and you can eat some of the scads of food being delivered and get a nap."

Tess shook her head. "I'm not that tired." She stifled a yawn. ""I don't want…"

Stephanie wrapped her arm around Tess. "Come on, Tess. You need to get some rest. You have a cell phone. Don has a cell phone. There's nothing going on here." Tess laid her head on her sister's shoulder. "I promise to call if _anything_ happens. Go home. Sleep."

"Okay. I'll just go up and talk to Daddy. Then I'll go home for a little while." Tess yawned again.

"Are you gonna make it that far?"

Tess rolled her eyes. "I'm not_ that_ tired."

"Coulda fooled me. Come on. Let's say 'see you later' to Daddy and then you go get some sleep."

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Tess and Stephanie got off the elevator to find Don punching at the button. Tess glared at his black eye.

"Never mind that now. Did John find you guys? Have ya seen Adam?"

Stephanie gave him a funny look. "Noooo. What's up?"

Don grinned. "Yer ma. She's up. They brought her out of sedation." Stephanie started to race down the hall. She turned back toward Tess. Tess waved her on.

"Go on. Let's not overwhelm her. I'll be there in a minute." Stephanie nodded and practically ran down the hall. Tess turned to Don. He tried to avoid her eyes. Tess took his chin in her hand and turned his head so she could get a good look at his blackened eye. She sighed heavily. "The red of the broken blood vessels really sets off the blue."

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart," he mumbled.

"No you're not. You've been dying for this to happen. Are you satisfied now? Now that you have physical evidence of the beating you've been giving yourself, are you satisfied?"

"Tess…"

"Don, you've got to stop this. You are not at fault. We both did this. It happened. You've got to get past it. We've got to move forward."

"Are you past it? Are you moving forward? Have you stopped with the 'what if's'?" Blue eyes locked with chocolate ones. Tess looked down at the ground. "That's what I thought. Don't be makin' big speeches if ya don't believe it yerself." Tess sighed. She kept looking at the toes of Don's shoes.

"I'm so tired, Don. I want to go see, Mama. Just for a little bit. Just to let her know I'm here. Then I need to go home and sleep. I'll tell her everything else tomorrow. When she's a little stronger. More awake."

Don pulled Tess into his arms. She relaxed against him. He rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. "_We'll_ talk to her tomorrow. Both of us." Tess looked up. Don gave her a reassuring smile, his eyes twinkling. "Team's only strong as its weakest player. We're a team, right?" Tess just blinked. "We gotta start practicing. Otherwise, our kid's gonna be playing the 'But Mommy said it's okay game' and we won't stand a chance."

"_She's_ gonna have you wrapped around her pinkie," protested Tess burying her head back into Don's chest.

Don kissed the top of her head again. "Not gonna happen. I already got a girl who's wrapped me around her finger." Tess snorted but gave Don a squeeze. He kept his arm around Tess and led her down the hall. They stopped before her mother's room. "Go on in and talk ta yer ma. I'll wait out here."

Tess shook her head. "You can come in."

"Howabout I wait until tomorrow? Yer ma doesn't need the drama today. She needs to know her family is all here for her. Me, our news, all that can wait for tomorrow. Trust me."

"If you're sure…," she started doubtfully.

Don squeezed Tess hand. "I'm not ditchin' Tess. It's just gonna be too much all at once. Tomorrow'll be fine." Tess nodded and went into the room. Don hung back and watched through the window as Tess carefully hugged mother. She sat down on the opposite edge of the bed from Stephanie and held her mother's hand. Don stepped away and headed down the hall to wait for Tess.

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	28. And still so many things I want to say

A/N: Hold on tight. It's gonna be a bumpy ride. Thanks..Soccer-Bitch, Paly Messer Stokes and Katydid13 for the reviews. Much appreciated.

By the by...Go Wings! One down, three more to go to the Finals! Yes! Tigers won too. Busy day in Detroit.

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Tess stirred slightly and snuggled closer to the warm body next to her. Her eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright. Don tumbled out of the twin bed and onto the floor with a loud bump.

"What the hell?" he mumbled. "Tess, you okay?"

"You can't be in my bed."

Don groaned. "Yer kiddin' me, right?" Don stood up, stretched slightly and scratched his head. "I think it's a little late for that, Sweetheart."

"That's not what I mean," growled Tess. "You cannot be in_ this_ bed with me."

"Well, it _is_ a pretty tight squeeze, but we were doin' fine until…" Tess could hear the grin in his voice.

"Don't be dense, Don."

He chuckled. "Yer dad's been back for hours. He very well knows where I am right now."

"Oh, God," groaned Tess.

Don sat down on the edge of the bed. He took Tess' hand and rubbed her knuckles. "Sweetheart, I think we're a little past foolin' yer dad about yer virtue." Don reached out and ran his fingers across her cheek. "I'll bet I'm the first guy that's been in this bed."

"Well…"

"'Scuse me?"

Tess bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud. "Truth?"

"Tess…," growled Don.

Tess burst into giggles. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it." She laughed again. "You just sounded so proud of yourself. I had to punch a hole in your ego."

"Oh, yer sooo funny." Don stood up. "I'm just gonna go. I'll be more comfortable somewheres else."

Tess grabbed Don's arm. "Stop pouting. I'm sorry." Her stomach growled.

Don grinned at her. "That's not all ya are. Come on. We'll go downstairs and get a snack."

Tess glanced at the clock. "It's the middle of the night. We'll wake someone up."

"Anybody who'd wake up woulda when ya shoved me outta bed."

"I didn't shove you out of bed."

"Yeah. Ya did."

"Not on purpose." Tess' stomach growled again. Don snorted. "Maybe I _could_ go for a snack."

"Mm-hmm." He held out his hand. Tess got out from under the cover, got out of bed and took it. She grabbed her glasses off the nightstand and started for the door. Don pulled her back into his arms and buried his face in Tess' hair. "So, am I the first guy ever in this bed?"

Tess groaned and tried to pull away. Don held her fast. Tess sighed and looked up at him. She rocked in his arms. "Is it that important to you?"

"Maybe." He kissed the end of her nose. "Maybe I'd like to be the first something in your life."

Tess pulled his head down so his ear was next her lips. "You're the first guy I've had a baby with." Don's head shot up. He took a half step away.

"Well, I'd hope so!" He could feel Tess shaking. "Yer laughing at me," he said indignantly.

Tess tried to stop. She struggled until she finally brought herself under control. "I'm sorry. I can't help it." She turned his head, holding his face between her hands. Tess could just see Don's eyes shining in the moonlight. "Would it make you happy if I told you no other man has been in that bed with me?"

"No boys either?"

Tess shook her head. "No boys either."

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"I'm happy."

Tess rolled her eyes and gave him a quick kiss. "I don't believe you."

"No, really. It makes me happy," Don deadpanned. Tess punched him in the shoulder. Don caught her hand. "I wish ya wouldn't do that. It hurts, Sweetheart." Don opened her palm and kissed it. "Ya know what else would make me happy?" He blew on the damp spot. Tess snatched her hand away. Don drew Tess closer. "I'd really like to be the first at something else in that bed with you too." Don carefully pushed Tess toward the bed. Tess tried to push him away.

"Don, stop it," she hissed. "My father is right down the hall. So are Adam and Christine." Don pressed his lips against her collarbone. Tess drew in a ragged breath. "Don…"

"Shhh. Ya'd better be quiet or they'll wake up," he whispered in her ear before he kissed his way down her neck. He ran a feather light touch along her ribs. Tess' stomach growled louder than ever. Don sighed in frustration.

"I'm sorry," she whispered honestly. Don just grunted and stood up. Tess caught his hand and tried to tug him back. "Don't get mad."

"I'm not, Tess. But we'd better git ya fed. It's kinda a mood killer." Tess stood up. Don pulled her close again. "But once yer fed…" He gave Tess a hard, deep kiss.

"Mm. You think so, do you?"

Don buried his face in her hair. "God, yes, Sweetheart."

Tess pulled his lips to hers. She pushed Don towards the bed. "I'm not really that hungry."

"Yer stomach says otherwise."

"Ignore it." Tess crawled up on the bed on her knees. She tugged on Don's t-shirt, so he stood in front of her. Tess ran her hands up under the shirt, then just under the edge of his sleep pants. Don drew a ragged breath and stilled her hands.

"Yer dad's down the hall. _And _yer brother. My eye's still smartin'."

Tess slid her hands lower. Don gasped. Tess grinned. "Then you'd better be quiet."

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A hard knock sounded on Tess' door. "Teresa? Wake up." Tess sat straight up at the sound of her father's voice. Don hit the floor again. Tess' eyes widened. She clutched the sheet around her body as she grabbed Don's boxers and threw them at him.

"I'm awake, Daddy."

"Good. Your grandmother Sophie is coming by to make breakfast."

"Nagymama is coming here?" squeaked Tess.

"Soon."

"Um. Okay. Thanks, Daddy." Tess held still until she heard her father move down the hall to knock on Adam's door. Tess slid out of bed, still clutching the sheet. Don glared at her from the floor. "What?"

Don rubbed his elbow. "Ya gotta stop doin' that." He looked Tess up and down. "And exactly why are ya doin' that? It's not like I haven't seen ya naked." Tess rolled her eyes at him. Don tugged at the corner of the sheet. "Ya can drop the sheet."

Tess shook her head. "Not when you have that look in your eyes." Don just sat grinning at her. "Don, stop it. We've _got _to get dressed." Tess walked over to her suitcase and started to pull things out.

"Spoil sport."

Tess glanced over her shoulder at Don. "I would have thought you'd gotten enough…" Tess jumped as Don kissed her bare shoulder.

"Never, Sweetheart." Don wrapped his arms around her. He rocked her back and forth. Don slowly lowered the sheet and caught Tess' eyes in the mirror. What she saw took her breath away. "Never enough, Tess." He briefly caressed her bare skin, then pulled the sheet back up. He kissed her shoulder and caught her eyes in the mirror again. "Better git dressed. Yer gran's gonna be here soon." Don turned away, leaving Tess blinking.

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Tess walked slowly into her mother's room. Veronika smiled slowly at her youngest daughter. Tess smiled back.

"Morning, Mama."

"Hello, Teresa. Feeling better? You looked very tired yesterday."

Tess frowned. "How would you know?"

"Just because I'm in the hospital doesn't make me not your mother. Besides, your father said you had gone home to get some sleep. I'm guessing you slept well."

Tess looked away. "Um. I did."

"So?"

Tess tilted her head to the side. "So?"

"Tess. Are you going to introduce me to you boyfriend or not?"

"How?"

Veronika waved her hand. "Your father said he was here. And Stephanie." Tess looked worried. "I had to remind your father that we had talked about your Don before." Veronika shook her head. "He's gotten more forgetful recently."

"He's been under a little stress the past couple of days, Mama."

"It's more than just the past couple of days, Tess." Veronika shrugged. "Anyhow. I'm sure it's nothing. He's always been a little forgetful." Veronika glanced at the door. "Why do you leave him out in the hall? Bring him in here." Tess nodded. She went outside and led Don back into the room. They stood awkwardly there holding hands. Veronika looked Don up and down. She paused on his black eye. "Well, that answers the question about Adam's hand." Veronika pinned Don with an intense gaze. "So, why would Adam hit you?" Don and Tess looked at each other. Tess reached up and tugged on her braid.

"Um. Well, Mama..." Tess looked at her mother. Veronika stared back expectantly. Tess took a deep breath. "You see…" Tess looked over at Don, then back at her mother. "I'm pregnant."

Veronika looked at Don. "I see why Adam hit you." She looked at Tess. "How long?"

"The baby's due in August."

"How long have you two known each other?" Veronika looked at Tess. "You and Alex just broke up in June." The door opened. Everyone turned and looked at Tess' father. "Joe. Tess just told me she was pregnant."

"You could have waited for me to arrive."

"I'm sorry, Daddy," mumbled Tess.

"We're going to be grandparents." Veronika looked back over at Tess and Don. Don wrapped his arm around Tess' shoulder and pulled her close to him.

"We're getting married. We haven't set a date or anything, but…"

"You're having a baby and you're getting married." Veronika reached out to her husband. "Joe could you pour me some water?" Joe poured her a cup and passed it to her. Veronika sipped it. "Grandparents." She looked up at the trio. "Sit down all of you. Stop hovering. And start from the beginning, you two."

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Tess was walking toward the cafeteria with Don, her arm looped through his. Tess smiled up at Don.

"Well, that didn't go too badly."

"I'm just glad it's over. Good thing yer uncle called."

"I don't Uncle Stash's intent was to rescue us."

"Probably not. " Don looked down at Tess. "You never mentioned yer uncle was a priest."

Tess shrugged. "He is. When was I supposed to mention it?"

"I'm just saying…" They arrived at the cafeteria. Tess looked at the menu and wrinkled her nose. "Let's go out. I'll treat you to lunch at a Toledo institution."

"Institutional food. Yum."

"Not that kind of institution. I'm talking Tony Packo's."

"Who's Tony Packo?"

"_Come on_. Only the _best _hot dog joint in the world. And stuffed cabbage. Dumplings Paprikas." Don was giving her a funny look. Tess frowned. "Don, it's world famous. Jamie Farr, Corporal Klinger's from Toledo. He mentioned on M*A*S*H several times. Tons of celebrities have eaten there. Presidents, all sorts of people. You had to have heard of it." Tess closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Fried pickles."

"Fried pickles? Sounds like a pregnant woman's dream. Ok. I'm in."

Tess grinned at him. "Great. Come on." She led him away from the hospital cafeteria and towards the parking garage. They were just about to leave when Stephanie and Adam came bursting through the door.

"Where are you going?" demanded Stephanie.

Tess looked at her confused. "We were going out for lunch." Adam brushed past without a word. Tess turned to stare after him.

"Your phone isn't on," accused Stephanie.

"No. We were just upstairs. I was going to turn it on when we got to the car. What?" Tess' eyes widened. She shook her head hard. "No. Nothing could have happened. We were _just _up there. Mama _was_ fine." Tess started to race after Adam. "Steph?"

"I dunno. Daddy called. She crashed."

"Nooo. We were just there. She was fine. We told her about… She was laughing." Stephanie didn't answer. They caught up with Adam at the elevators. John and Christine jumped on just before the doors closed. Everyone rode up in silence. Tess looked over at Don, her face stricken. He pulled her against him and rubbed her back. The doors finally opened and the group practically ran down the hall. A nurse caught them and directed them to a private conference room. Their father was sitting there all alone staring forward into space. He didn't look up as they came in. Tess clutched Don's hand. Adam stepped forward.

"Dad?"

He turned and looked at them blankly. "We were talking. We were just talking and she fell back." Tess crouched down next to him and took his hands. He looked at Tess, eyes damp and reddening. "Teresa, she was happy. So happy about the baby. Then she just fell back."

"Daddy, we just left," protested Tess shaking her head hard.

"It was so quick. We were talking. She was smiling." Stephanie burst into sobs. Tess shook her head harder.

"Noooo, Daddy. Noooo," wailed Tess, laying her head on her dad's knee. Joe absently stroked her hair. There was a knock on the door and a doctor came in.

"I'm sorry. Mr. Nagy?" The doctor stepped further into the room. "I'm Dr. Graham. I need to go over some things with you."

"These are my children. You can talk in front of them." He kept stroking Tess' hair. Soothing himself as much as her.

The doctor nodded. "From what we can tell right now, Mrs. Nagy…"

"Veronika. Please, you do not need to dance around. What happened to my wife?"

"Um. Yes. Well, sir, the short answer is that a blood clot formed…"

"I thought you had my mother on blood thinners to keep that from happening." Adam broke in.

"We did, but sometimes… Well, a clot did form and it broke free."

"And killed my mother," sobbed Stephanie.

"Um. Yes, ma'am. We would like to perform an autopsy…"

Joe shook his head. "No. You just said that a blood clot killed my wife."

"Well, sir, we could get a definitive answer…"

"No. I am sorry. _I am _satisfied with your answer. You don't need to cut open my…my…Veronika just to satisfy _your _curiosity. I am sorry. I _will not _give permission."

The doctor nodded. "That _is_ your right, sir." He stood still for a couple of moments just in case Joe changed his mind. "Okay then. Someone will be in soon to talk to you." The doctor left. Joe stroked Tess hair a few more times, then patted her hand.

"Teresa, Stephanie I need you to go home…"

"But Daddy…" Both girls protested.

"Please. I need you to make phone calls. You need to see Stash…Sophia…" Stephanie nodded. She reached down to help Tess up. Tess clung to her father's hand.

"We'll make the calls, Daddy." Stephanie reached down and squeezed her father's free hand.

"The funeral home…"

"We'll start working on things. Tessie, come on." Tess looked helplessly between Stephanie and her father. Joe squeezed her hand.

"Adam and Christine will be here with me, _mezem_." Joe held her hand out. "Don, take care of Tess please." Tess didn't budge. "Teresa. I need you to go home and get together clothes for your mother. The aqua dress…" Tess' gaze flipped to Adam briefly and back to her father.

"The dress she wore to…" Tess' throat closed up. _Her mother wouldn't be at her wedding. Wouldn't see her baby._ Stephanie dropped her father's hand, reached over and firmly gripped Tess'. A stricken look passed between them. _She wouldn't be at Stephanie's wedding either. _Tess cleared her throat. "And her diamond earrings." Joe nodded, not trusting his voice.

"We'll find it all, Daddy," assured Stephanie. Joe just nodded again.

Stephanie clutched Tess' hand as they slowly turned and walked out of the room. John and Don trailed silently along behind as the sisters walked stiffly through the hospital. The women didn't notice the wide berth and looks of sympathy and pity that they earned as they marched along. When they got to the car, Tess and Stephanie slid into the back seat together, leaving Don and John to sort out who was driving. Don glanced in the rear view mirror at Tess who was leaning against Stephanie.

"Tess? Sweetheart, you're gonna have at give me directions." Tess nodded slightly. She sat up.

"We should go by St. Stephen's first. We need Uncle Stash before we go to see Nagymama Sophie. We…we should call. Make sure they aren't coming down here." She looked over at Stephanie. Stephanie was already pulling out her cell phone and dialing. Tess caught Don's eyes. "Head out and I'll get you there." Don nodded and started the car.

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	29. In all my fragility

A/N: I'm afraid that my muse, Perdita is still feeling a little mean. I'm not sure what her problem is, but she seems to think running Tess and Don through the emotional roller coaster is a good way to work things out.

All of you who are reading, thank you. All of you who are reviewing, even more thanks.

Additional disclaimer: I own none of the dialog lifted from ep. 3.15: Some Burried Bones.

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The lights of police cars colored the night. Mac swung his kit forward as he ducked under the crime scene tape and headed toward the hedge maze. He stopped short for a brief moment when he caught sight of Flack. Don gave curt nod towards the maze.

"We're headed in there. Hawkes is already with the vic." Mac nodded and the two men headed silently through the maze. "I haven't been here since I was a kid," his voice was flat, tired, distracted.

Mac paused mid-step and looked up at Don. "I'm kinda surprised to see you here, Flack."

"Couldn't stay in Toledo forever."

"How's Tess doing?'

Don met Mac's gaze. Mac could see the pain reflected there. Don cleared his throat. "Not so hot. She's still pretty broken up. She's worried about her dad. Tess's stayin' in Toledo a bit longer. Tryin' to get a few more things squared away." Don cleared his throat again. "Anyways. Ya know, this hedge maze is part of the Queens County Arboretum."

"New York's last tract of undisturbed farmland."

"Not any more. We haven't been able to id the body yet." The two men reached the center of the maze and the body. Hawkes greeted them

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A uniformed officer took Eddie Williams out and down to booking. Don shook his head as he left the interrogation room. He said his goodbyes to Mac and headed to his desk to wrap up his end of the paperwork. _Branding. Blood rituals. Cheating for sale. Killing for a free pass to med school._ He just didn't understand it. _Money, education. No better than the street punks._ He stopped a minute in the break room to grab a mug of coffee. He stood looking out the grimy window, still thinking on the waste. One of the other detectives passed the door, then leaned back and stuck their head in.

"Hey, Flack. Yer girl's sitting at yer desk."

Don looked up, thrown out of his musings. "Tess's here?" Don quickly set the cup down and grabbed the file folder. "Thanks, Jelic."

"No problem. She's been there a while. Told 'er you were in interrogation and she said she'd wait."

Don took a hit of the coffee, pitched the cup and practically ran through the hall to the squad room. He stopped when he spotted Tess. He couldn't help but think back to the first time he found her sitting at his desk. Today, instead of looking like a tourist at the zoo, she was just sitting there staring at her hands. Don walked over, crouched down in front of her and slid the folder onto his desk. Tess didn't look up. He picked up her hand and stroked her knuckles. Tess finally raised her head and looked at him. Don almost winced at the dark circles under her eyes.

"Hey. I didn't think you'd be home for a few more days," he said softly.

Tess looked down and then up again meeting his gaze with hollow eyes. "Daddy told me to come back. Said I had a class I needed to teach."

"Ya shoulda called me. I woulda met ya the airport."

Tess shook her head. "You needed to be here. The apartment was too quiet. I tried to go by Bette's but she wasn't home."

"Ya don't wanna stay here, Sweetheart." Don stood up, still holding Tess' hand. "Lemme walk ya downstairs." He glanced at his watch. "Hey, tell ya what. Let's go grab a bite ta eat. Then ya can go home." Don reached down and took Tess' chin in his hand and rocked her head back and forth, looking intently into her eyes. "Git some sleep. I'll finish up here and be home soon. Sound lika plan?"

"I'm not really hungry," mumbled Tess.

Don crouched down again. He leaned in close. "Tess, Sweetheart, ya gotta eat. Ya gotta sleep." Don took a deep breath. "Ya know it's not good for the baby." Tears started trickling down Tess face. Don blinked hard. "Please don't do that." Don looked around. "Come on, Sweetheart. Let's git outta here." He pulled Tess up and headed for the door. He grabbed his radio to call in for dinner.

"Flack! Where ya headed?" came the call from across the room.

Don swore under his breath. He didn't turn around. "I was jus' gonna grab some dinner. Tess just got back into town…"

"No can do, Romeo. We got a call." Detective Jelic came up next to Don. He leaned over and smiled at Tess. "Hey, Tess. Sorry to hear about yer ma." Tess nodded unable to trust her voice.

Don looked around the squad room. There were three or four other detectives around. "Come on, Jelic. Can't ya grab somebody else?"

"No. No can do. Cap said take you. I'd take Angell if she was here. That Dominguez girl is hers, but she's..." Jelic trailed off as he watched the blood drain from Tess' face. Don felt her start going down and slowly helped her to the floor. He brought her knees up and tucked her head down before turning on the other detective. Jelic just stood there his mouth open.

"Son of a bitch! 'That Dominguez girl' was Tess' student." Don's eyes raked over the other detective with fiery contempt.

"I didn't know. Cap just said you' know the folks down at the fencing club. Another..." A sob broke from Tess.

"Shut up! Jus' shut the fuck up!" Don restrained the urge to punctuate his sentence with a fist. He crouched down in front of Tess. "Stay with me, Sweetheart." Don looked frantically around, trying to decide where he could move Tess. They were drawing attention and Don wanted Tess out of the public eye. He scooped her up and took her to the break room. Jelic trailed lamely behind. Don carefully set her on a couch. He looked at Jelic hovering. "Get her some water," he barked. The detective filled a cup and handed it to Don.

Another detective stuck his head in the door. "She okay?"

Don snapped his head up and shot him a burning look. "Does she fuckin' look okay?" The second detective disappeared.

"Listen, Flack, I didn' know. I'm sorry," stammered the younger detective.

"Shut up, Jelic." Don looked up as his Inspector Gerrard came barreling into the room. The man stopped short when he spotted Tess curled up on the couch. He nodded for Jelic to leave. The detective quickly scooted out of the room. Don glared after him.

"Does she need medical attention?" Don looked from Gerrard to Tess. Tess shook her head slightly.

"I'm fine," she croaked. Tess cleared her throat. "I'm fine."

"No, yer not," snapped Don. He frowned. "I'm sorry," he said softly. He looked at Gerrard. "She doesn't need medical help."

The inspector nodded. "Listen, Flack." He looked over at Tess. "I need you on this one. Can you call someone...?"

"I can't...," protested Don. "I can't jus'..." He looked over at Tess as she squeezed his hand. She was still pale, but her eyes held more life than when he had first seen her.

"Go," she said softly.

"Sweetheart, I don't..."

Tess shook her head and straightened herself a little more. "You've got to do this. I'll...I'll be okay."

"Ya don't have to be a martyr, Tess."

Tess glared at him. Her angry look made him feel better. If she was getting mad, she was finally coming out of the daze she'd been in since her mother had died. "I'm not. You have a job to do."

"Are ya sure?"

Tess nodded. "For Angie." Tess sat up. Don could almost see her wrapping her anger about her body like armor. "And if whoever did this, hurt another one of my kids..." Don grinned.

"I'll give 'em hell for ya."

"Thanks." Don nodded and squeezed her hand. He stood up and headed for the door.

"Try not to take Jelic's head off again," Gerrard called after him.

"I'll see what I can do, Sir." Don disappeared down the hall. Tess stared at the doorway. When she was sure that Don wasn't coming back, she let herself collapse again.

"Are ya sure ya don't want medical..."

Tess shook her head. "I'm going to call my friend. I'll be fine."

Gerrard nodded. "You can stay here until your friend comes for you. I can get them escorted back." Tess nodded. Gerrard stood watching her. "Ya know, you can't pull that too many times. He'll catch on."

Tess' lips twitched slightly. She looked up at Don's boss, her eyes tired but clear. "I think I can manage when I need to," she said defiantly. Gerrard nodded his own lips twitching. He left Tess sitting there. _Flack made a good match, _he thought as he headed back to his office.

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Don loosened his tie as he reached his apartment door. He fished out his keys and reached for the door. He was about to unlock the door when he heard laughing. _Laughing?_ Don quickly opened the door. Bette and Tess were sitting on the floor chattering away. They both looked up at Don. Bette jumped up.

"About time you got home." She had her fists planted on her hips and her braids flying as she shook her head. "Leavin' me to baby-sit your poor girl all night." Tess burst into a fit of giggles at the sight of Don's shocked face. He looked at opened take out boxes, the two empty wine bottles and the glasses on the table.

"Have you been drinking?"

Tess' mouth dropped open. She rolled her eyes. "Of course not." She held up the one bottle. "Non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice, Donald. Do you think I'm stupid?"

"I dunno. You seem pretty chipper compared to the girl I left back at the precinct." Don could have kicked himself as the bright look left Tess' face.

"Nice job," growled Bette. "All my hard work completely undone." Bette grabbed her bag. She bent down and gave Tess a fierce hug. She stood up, walked over and glared at Don. "I work hard at breaking her out of her shell. Make her laugh and then you, Detective KillJoy come in here and wrap her up in a nasty, cold, wet blanket. Thank you so much."

Don just undid his tie completely and unbuttoned the collar of his shirt. "Good to see you too, Bette. Thanks for taking care of her."

"Mm-hm." Bette glanced over at Tess. "You sure you don't want me to kick him in the head for you?"

Tess shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, Bette, but I'm good. Thanks for keeping me company."

Bette smiled. "Don't be such a stranger, Tess." She frowned at Don. "Don't darken my doorstep beggin' for help, if you're jus' gonna come back and mess things up again."

Don looked at her non-pulsed. "I'll remember that. Thanks, Bette." Bette nodded, waved one more time at Tess and left. Don put away his gear, came back and dropped exhaustedly to the couch. Tess started to pick up the debris. Don reached out and tugged at her hand. "Leave that for later. Come here." Tess let Don pull her into his lap. He just sat there holding her and breathing in her sent. Tess relaxed and rested her head against his chest. Don took a deep breath. "We..." Tess placed her finger on his lips.

"Not tonight."

"Don't ya wanna know?"

Tess squeezed her eyes shut and slowly opened them. She sat up and looked Don squarely in the eyes. "Only two things. And no words. Just move your head. You arrested someone?" Don nodded. "Good. Do I know them?" Don shrugged. Tess breathed out slowly. "If I do, then not well. Good." She snuggled back down.

Don shifted slightly. "I should take a shower."

"Mm-hm." Tess made no effort to move.

Don peered over Tess' head at the take out boxes. "Did you two leave anythin' for me?"

"Maybe."

"Do ya think I might be able to take a shower and find out?"

"No." Tess shifted to play with the buttons on his shirt, slowly releasing them.

Don just watched her unbutton his shirt. "I'm guessing some one was forced to take a nap and eat and is feeling much better."

Tess nodded. "Bette knocked some sense into me. I still hurt. I hurt a lot. But I've got to quit moping." Tess leaned in and rubbed her cheek against Don's.

"You're gonna get a burn, Sweetheart. I didn't get a chance to shave good this morning." Tess raised her head. She leaned in and kissed Don tenderly. She broke of the kiss and looked into his eyes for several heartbeats. Tess leaned in again and kissed him a little harder. Don's hand slid up to the back of Tess' head and anchored her while he deepened the kiss. Without breaking the kiss, Tess shifted so that she straddled Don's lap. She drew her knees in tight against his hips. Don's hands dropped down to Tess' waist and he slid his fingers under her top to trail feather light over her bare skin. The kiss finally ended and Don leaned his forehead against Tess' panting slightly. He licked his dry lips. "If yer not up to finishing this, you'd better stop now." He prayed she wouldn't pull away.

Tess slid her hands into his open shirt and tugged at his undershirt. "I'm up to it. Are you?" Don answered by capturing her lips again.


	30. He loves me silly and he loves me sad

A/N: See intro for disclaimers. Trying very hard to get this back on track. The muse has been easily distracted by a red-headed detective from South Florida. And stray plot bunnies. I'm trying to swing her back to the matter at hand. Wish me luck. Please R & R.

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Tess was staring at the window watching the reflected bustle of the restaurant. She tried focusing her mind on the task at hand and was failed miserably. Bette tapped her hand. Tess snapped her attention back to her best friend.

"Hey, if planning your wedding is so boring, let me know. We can stop."

"I'm sorry. Just thinking." Tess looked at the pictures spread out before them. "And I thought we had pretty much settled things. I mean it's not like I'm getting married at St. Patrick's Cathedral."

"It's still your wedding, Tess." Bette looked at Tess, who had gone back to staring at the window. Bette started to pick up the magazine, she set it back down. "You wanna talk about it?"

Tess looked back. "I just keep wondering who I'm doing this for. I could just go downtown, stand before a judge and be done with it. It's just a piece of paper."

"This isn't for you. It's for your family, Don's family. Me. I wanna party."

Tess rolled her eyes. "Then throw yourself one. Why should _I _be throwing _you_ a party?"

Bette sighed, trying another tack. "Okay, Tess. Howabout yer dad wanting to walk you down the aisle?"

"He'll get to do that with Steph."

"If yer sister does manage to get married, I won't be the least surprised if she elopes."

"So, I've got to have the whole white wedding thing?"

Bette grinned. "Come on, Tessie. You know deep in your heart you wanna. Think of Don in a tux."

"He could wear a tux to the courthouse." Bette just stared at her. Tess finally looked away. "OK. But you know, in my dream wedding, I was not five months pregnant."

"So everything isn't perfect. You got that all out of the way. Everything else should go smoothly."

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Tess glanced up from the couch as Don came in, then went back to concentrating on the television. A stack of papers was on the end table next to her. Don kissed Tess' hair. She waved him off.

"Hallo to you too." He glanced at the TV. "And how are they doin'?"

Tess didn't look up from the TV. "Blackhawks don't stand a chance." Don loosened his tie, stopped to watch the game for a few moments and headed bedroom to change. He came back through the living room to find Tess in exactly the same position. He watched the game again for a bit then headed to the kitchen for a beer. He grabbed a bottle and opened it, tossing the cap on the counter. Don went back into the living room and dropped down next to Tess. He tugged on Tess' arm. Tess slid over next to Don and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Tess snuggled down next to him, her eyes never leaving the TV. A commercial came on and Tess finally looked at Don. She smiled and gave him a quick kiss.

"You're running pretty late."

Don rolled his head to stretch his neck. "Been a rough couple of days." He set his beer on the end table.

Tess nodded. She brought her hand up to the back of Don's neck and started rubbing the knots. Don let out a deep breath and lay his head back. Tess shifted and started using her other hand too. "Everyone's been letting me know they've seen you on TV. Krista said you looked hot."

"Krista?"

Tess raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Krista Burke. Classroom's two doors down from mine. Kept going on about how hot the dark-haired detective with the bright blue eyes was. Someone finally clued her in that the hot, dark-haired detective with the killer blue eyes was very taken _and_ I probably wouldn't share."

"Isn't she the one with the short red hair, green eyes? That Krista?" Tess' eyes widened. Don' lips twitched. He ran a finger along Tess' jaw. "Someone else I know is getting' a little green eyed." Tess crossed her arms across her chest and turned back to the game with a huff. Don squeezed Tess' shoulders and kissed her temple. He slid his lips to Tess' ear. "I am _very_ taken and even if _you_ would share, _I_ wouldn't."

Tess ran her hand up Don's leg. "You just remember that."

Don shifted a little. He nibbled at Tess' ear. "I thought yer watchin' the game."

"I am. But I can multi-task."

Don chuckled against her hair. "I really don't think ya can watch the game and play the game."

Tess grinned, her eyes never leaving the TV. "Oh, I might beg to differ, but you probably are right." Tess pulled her hand out of Don's lap. "Why don't we call delay of game?"

"I'd prefer you ta TiVo the Wings," Don growled into Tess' ear.

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Don pulled Tess closer with one arm and played with her hair with his other hand. Tess snuggled closer. Don started at the ceiling. The events of the day tumbled over in his mind.

"Had to rescue a lady from a water torture box."

Tess frowned. "What?" She rose up on an elbow so she could see Don's face.

"Ya know that Blade guy."

"The magician? Always creeped me out." Tess rubbed at her neck.

"Illusionist. Well good reason for him being creepy..." Tess' eyes widened. "Yeah. He did it. Completely off his rocker. Apparently Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Well, that's his excuse."

"Oh," said Tess softly. She looked away and dropped back down to the mattress. Don frowned. He pulled Tess close and kissed her hair. He kneaded her shoulder.

"Yer not thinkin' that a few drinks before ya knew you were pregnant damaged our baby. Yer no alcoholic Tess."

"I know. It's just you sit there thinking about everything you might have done wrong."

"Ya didn't' do anything wrong, Sweetheart. And ever since you've known, you've been more than careful. So how did lunch with Bette go? Got everything all settled?"

Tess propped herself up again. "We made progress. I've got a tux fitting scheduled for you and Danny. Adam's going to come down when he can. Made reservations for the reception. Got Stash hooked up with the priest over by your parents'."

"You _were_ busy today."

"Well, we are on kind of a tight schedule."

Don ran his hand down Tess' side and across her stomach. "I guess we are. Jus' let me know where I need to be." Don shifted so he could look Tess in the eyes. "You are gonna make a beautiful bride, Mrs. Flack."

"Not yet."

"Jus' testin' out how it sounds." He lay back again and pulled Tess back to his side. He kissed her temple. "Jus' testin' it out."

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	31. Just to occupy one minute of your day

A/N: See first chapter for disclaimers. This is pretty much pure fluff. Please don't get too sick on the sweetness. Please R&R. It makes me happy. Thanks for reading.

* * *

Tess let loose a squeal from the dressing room. Bette pushed back the curtain and looked at her. Tess wordlessly turned her phone toward Bette. Bette's mouth dropped open.

"What the hell is that?"

"Supposedly jewelry. Don was telling me about this stuff. He and Danny spotted it crawling out of some DB's mouth."

Bette raised her eyebrows and planted a fist on her hip. "And he sent you a pix message of it?" she asked incredulously. "And what is a DB?"

Tess dropped her phone back on top of her tote. "Actually, he sent a vid." Tess glanced away. "And a DB is a dead body," she mumbled.

A sick look passed over Bette's face. "Yer cop sent ya a pic…video of a piece of roach jewelry that came crawling outta some dead guy's mouth?" Bette shook her head. "And you're only mildly grossed out by it. I don't believe you two." Tess just blushed a little. She spun around in the dress she was trying on.

"The verdict?"

"You honestly expect me to comment on your dress after showing me _that_. I'm gonna have nightmares for weeks." Bette shivered slightly and turned a critical eye toward the dress. She clucked her tongue. "It is completely not fair. I'm gonna look like a cow when I'm pregnant. You have that glowy thing all going." She tilted her head. "What do _you_ think?"

Tess rocked back and forth making the dress swish. She tugged at the top. "It's a little tight up here. I feel like I'm going to pop out any minute."

"Sure rub that little fact in too." Bette shrugged. "If you feel uncomfortable, don't take that one. I mean it's cute and all that, but I doubt they're gonna shrink before the wedding." She pushed the curtain back again. "I'll send your handler in. I'm goin' back to the comfy chairs where I can properly enjoy your little fashion show," she called over her shoulder as she headed out.

"Oh sure, run off and abandon me."

"I wouldn't have come back here in the first place if you hadn't been making noise." Bette left and Tess looked in the mirrors again. The color was right, the style. She tugged at the top again and sighed.

Tess turned to the assistant. "I need something like this one, but with more room…" She waved at her chest. The assistant nodded.

"But you like the color, the length? Everything else?"

"Pretty much." The assistant nodded and helped her out of the dress. Tess slid on the wrapper and tied the belt around her waist. The assistant and the cloud of cloth drifted out of the changing room. While she waited Tess looked her body over carefully in the mirror. She pulled the cloth of the wrapper tight over the bump that was forming. She ran her hand over it. _Hello in there._ Tess looked at her reflection and smiled. _You might not have been planned, but you _are_ loved._ Tess dropped her hand as the curtain started sliding back.

"Okay, miss. I think you will find this dress to be more what you're looking for." Tess shed her robe and let the woman help her into the dress. When it was settled into place and zipped up, Tess smoothed her hands over the fabric. She looked in the mirror and breathed in sharply. Her eyes prickled and Tess bit her lip to keep tears from falling. The assistant smiled, nodding her head. "You like the dress?" Tess nodded, not trusting her voice. "Go and show your friend. I don't think even she's going to find something wrong with this dress." Tess grinned at the assistant's comment.

Tess carefully stepped from behind the curtain. She walked toward the seating area, the toe-length skirt swaying like a perfect bell. Bette looked up from the magazine she was paging through and grinned.

"You just might convince me that I need to have a wedding jus' so I can look like you do." Bette shook her head at the look on Tess' face. "No way. You an' yer goofy hormones are _not_ gonna burst into tears." Bette's smiled deepened and she shook her head again. "Turn around. Lemme see the whole thing." Tess turned in a slow circle. The cream colored skirt belled a little more. Bette clucked her tongue a little. "You're gonna knock his socks off."

"Thank you," Tess said softly. She traced her fingers over the appliqué flowers on the skirt. She looked in the mirror at her reflection. "I think I might even have a shawl that would match, in case it gets cold." Tess ran her fingers over the petaled band on the dress. "It's so perfect, I'm afraid to ask the price."

"It's a discontinued style. Only this floor model is available. It's deeply discounted and we will send it out to be cleaned." The assistant appeared at Tess' elbow.

Bette frowned at her. "You can go ahead and whisper the price in my ear. I'll decide if yer gonna ruin my best friend's perfect dress."

The woman raised her eye brows at Bette. "I assure you that you will not find a dress of equal quality at a lower price," declared the woman haughtily.

Bette met her gaze with the same distain. She planted a fist on her hip and shook her braids. "I wouldn't take that bet." She looked at Tess who was staring in the mirror fingering the dress. "Tess, why don't we go and see what some of the second-hand stores…"

"No! You don't know where those clothes come from." Tess sighed. "I'm not against buying tings second hand. I just…I just… This is my wedding, Bette. It's already messed up enough." Tess looked at the assistant. "Just tell me how much the dress costs."

"Eight hundred and fifty dollars."

"You have gotta be kiddin' me," protested Bette.

Tess ignored her and turned back to the mirror. She took several deep breaths and let them slowly out. She stood staring, her fingers worrying the fabric. She closed her eyes and opened them very slowly. _There had be somewhere else she could save some money._ "Okay. I want this dress."

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Tess walked out of the shop. She took a deep breath. Bette clucked her tongue.

"I cannot believe you paid that much for a dress. I'm gonna elope."

"Bette, you won't even take Peter to meet your parents. I don't think you're ever getting married."

Bette shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe I want our kids to grow up together." Tess narrowed her eyes speculatively at Bette. Bette burst out laughing. "Uh-uh. I am_ not_ pregnant. Only you, honey. I was just talkin' out loud." They started walking toward a subway station. "So you can stash the dress at my place when it comes in." Tess nodded absently, pulling out her phone. "You cannot tell your cop about the dress."

Tess rolled her eyes. She started writing a text message. "I'm not. I'm just telling him I have one picked out and that he'd better be making an appointment for Danny and him to be fitted."

"You goin' to the tux shop with him?"

"No, I trust Don to dress himself."

"Tessie, have ya looked closely at his ties?"

Tess sighed and looked up, snapping her phone shut. "I think his ties are fine."

"Uh-huh."

Tess raised her eyebrows. "I like Don's ties. Really. And it's not like he's going to pick out some 70s monstrosity."

"So ya think."

"Bette. His taste is fine."

"So_ you_ say." Tess just rolled her eyes.

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"Come on, Danny. Tess is about ta skin me for not draggin' ya here and gittin' this done sooner." Don headed for the shop with a reluctant Danny in tow.

"Not even married yet and she's bossin' ya around."

"She ain't bossin' me. It's jus' somethin' that's gotta be done. Actually, she's been really good about all of this. Mostly, she's been draggin' Bette around."

"You've left this all up ta Tess and _Bette_?"

Don scowled at Danny. "Hold on a minute. First yer callin' me whipped…"

"I didn't call ya whipped."

"Oh, yes. Ya did."

"I didn't. I said ya were lettin' Tess boss ya around."

"Semantics, Danny."

"You said I called ya whipped. I didn't."

Don sighed in frustration. "Whatever." He opened the door to the shop. "She's been great. Ya know that things have been kinda crazy and she hasn't been yellin' because I haven't been around to help."

"And Bette hasn't been givin' ya a hard time?"

"Not in front of Tess. I can handle Bette. All of her grief? It actually means she likes me."

"_That_ means she likes ya? What does she do ta her boyfriend? Have ya booked her for assault yet?"

Don laughed. "Ya don't have ta worry about Peter. Bette's all bark and Peter knows jus' how to handle her. Anyway, why are you so interested? Gonna stop moonin' over Lindsay and chase Bette instead?" Don guffawed at Danny's stricken look. "I'll take that as a no." Don approached the counter. "Hi, I'm Don Flack, this is Danny Messer. We've got an appointment for a tux fittin'."

"Yer fiancée ain't wit' ya?" inquired the salesman.

"No. She had some other stuff ta take care of," said Don a little defensively. The man at the counter looked a little surprised. Don rolled his eyes and pulled out a sheet of paper.

Danny burst out laughing. "Oh, she trusts ya so much. She sent a list."

"Shut up, Danny." Don looked over at the man. "Can ya show me somethin' that fits this, but comes with a gag?"

The man looked at him mildly. "We don't carry those kinds of things here, but I could give you a referral. A friend of mine owns a shop."

"Gee, Don, maybe I should get yer wedding gift there."

"Shut up, Danny." Don turned back to the salesman. "Ya understand what I'm lookin' for?"

The man nodded. "Let's take some measurements first." He dug in a drawer finding a measuring tape and a clipboard. Then he came out from behind the counter. "Come on over here." He waved his arm at Don and Danny.

"Tess and me looked at tuxes online. She had ta send some info ta her brother. I'll get him the exact details when we're done. "Don shook his head. "Adam was a little miffed he was gonna hafta rent an' not jus' wear a tux he owns."

"Her brother owns a tux?"

"Three. Needs them for concerts."

The salesman stopped in front of a trio of mirrors. "Take off the suit coat and unstuck yer shirt." He waved at Don. "Please." He moved around Don efficiently taking measurements and making notes. When he was done, he turned to Danny. "Next."

Danny balked a little. "I dunno…"

"For God's sakes, Danny. Git over there. Let's jus' git it done and then we can both git home."

"I usually git a beer first," commented Danny. The salesman just rolled his eyes.

Don snorted. "I don' think yer his type, Dan."

The salesman finished and turned back to Don. "I'll bring a couple of things ta try on. Jus' examples. They're not gonna be a perfect fit."

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Don and Danny headed out of the shop. Both had a look of relief on their face. Don straightened his suit coat as they loped down the street.

"How come we gotta go back for another fitting?" whined Danny.

Don sighed. He wasn't exactly thrilled either. "Ta make sure that the things fit. Come on let's git a beer and head home."

"All I'm sayin' is that I ain't goin' through all of that. I'm eloping'."

"So you finally hooked up wit' Montana then?"

"Well…"

"Uh-huh. Ya ain't goin' nowhere." Don's phone rang. He fished it out and thumbed it on. "Hey, Sweetheart." Danny made a whipping motion. Don threatened to punch him. Danny just laughed.

"All set?"

"Yes, finally all set."

"Danny give you too much trouble?"

Don glared over at his friend. "Oh, Danny was no trouble at all. His usual charmin' self."

"Whack him up side the head for me. Tell him to quit giving you grief. He's just jealous."

"I'll do that. I'll be home soon."

"No hurry. Enjoy your beer."

"How did…? Never mind. I really don't want ta know how you know." Don shook his head. "I'll be home soon."

"I love you. No hurry. I've got papers to grade. I'll just be glad to see you before I go to sleep for a change. Bye."

"Love ya too." Don put his phone back in his pocket. He hit Danny in the back of the head.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"A present from Tess," laughed Don.

"Tell her thanks a lot."

"Quit givin' me grief, she says. Let's grab a beer."

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Don came in and smiled at the back of Tess' head. She had her iPod on and was busy concentrating on the stack of papers on the coffee table. Don quietly put his gear away and headed for the shower. He showered, changed and went back into the living room. He snuck up behind Tess and kissed the side of her neck. Papers went flying as she jumped in surprise. She yanked the earbuds out of her ears.

"Oh my God! When did…" She peered at him "Is your hair wet?"

Don grinned. "I coulda dropped a bomb in here and ya wouldn't have noticed."

"I wasn't that absorbed," mumbled Tess.

Don raised his eyebrows. "Sweetheart, I came in here, stowed my stuff, showered and snuck up on ya. Maybe ya should turn down the iPod."

Tess sighed heavily and leaned back against the couch. "So, what happened with the knight in shining armor?"

Don dropped on the couch and shook his head. "It was a death pact. Four terminally ill friends."

Tess looked away. "Oh. Wow."

"Yeah." He held his hand out to Tess and pulled her up next to him. Don buried his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of cloves and oranges. "So I finally made it ta the tux shop today."

"So you told me."

"The info is all in my wallet. I'll dig it out later so ya can email Adam." Don pulled Tess across his lap. She winced slightly. Don carefully slid her back and sat up. Concern creased his face. "What? What did I do?"

Tess smiled reassuringly. "Nothing. Muscles get looser and sometimes things shift wrong. Thank and I was sitting on the floor too long."

"Yer okay though, right?"

"I'm fine." Tess ran her fingers along Don's face. "You'd better grow a thicker skin. Things just get crazier from here."

Don shook his head. "I'm not gonna ignore things when ya look like yer in pain."

Tess laughed. "Don, you are in so much trouble when I go into labor."

"I don't even want to think about it."

"It'll be fine. I'm not made of glass."

"And I'm not made of stone."

Tess shook her head and ran her hand over her stomach. "Poor baby, you're going to be an only child."

Don looked over at Tess. "You wanna have more kids?"

Tess grinned. "Don't you think we should get done having this one before we plan any others?"

"Well, we haven't really talked about it."

"I think we've been a little preoccupied."

"But do ya? I mean I don't really know if ya wanted ta have_ any_ kids."

Tess shrugged. She brought her legs up to sit cross-legged on the couch. "I always thought I'd get married and have kids. Then I turned thirty and had no steady guy in my life."

"Well, now you're gonna have husband and a kid. All before ya turn thirty-one."

Tess looked down. "Yeah. I am."

"So ya _weren't_ plannin' on havin' kids?"

"That's not what I said. I just said I had pushed it aside after Alex broke up with me."

"So ya _were_ plannin' on havin' kids?"

"And a husband."

"A lot of kids?"

Tess looked up with a mischievous grin. "A dozen or so."

Don rolled his eyes. "Well, ya started a bit late for that."

"I don't know. I have several years left and if we just keep getting pregnant one right after…"

"Very funny." Don pulled her carefully back onto his lap and ran his hand over her belly. "I don't think I can keep ya barefoot and pregnant all the time."

Tess turned so she could see his face. "Oh, I think you _could_. It's physically possible. But _would_ you?"

Don turned Tess back around and brushed his lips over her ear. "The thought is tempting," he whispered.

Tess elbowed him hard. "Pig."

"Hey! Yer the one who brought it up."

"_You_ want to take it seriously."

"Settle." Don brushed his lips over Tess' ear again. "Yes, I think we should have another baby, but I also agree we should finish having this one first. Then we can see where things go."

"Well, at least we're good at seeing where things go. Planning is not exactly our strong suit."

"Don shifted her into a more settled embrace. He rested his chin on Tess' head and closed her eyes. "But we're working on that. Things aren't so disastrous."

Tess took a deep breath and released it slowly. She sat there, just enjoying the comfort of Don's arms. "That's all we can ask for, I guess. No great disasters."

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	32. If I go crazy now will you still call me

A/N: See the intro for the disclaimer stuff. So who else is counting down until the season premier? It's not soon enough! Anyhow, welcome new readers. Thanks for hanging in old ones. Hope you enjoy and please R & R. I _do_ like to hear from you. Thanks for reading.

Hugs and prayers to those who need it today. God Bless America. (09/11/2009)

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Don shook his head as he and Stella left Club Random. He had a strong desire to shower in alcohol. Stella caught a glimpse of his perplexed look and grinned.

"Come on, Don. You really wouldn't have gone to a place like that?" she ribbed.

"Na. No way." Don shook his head again. He opened the door to the cruiser and settled in. He waited for Stella to get seated before he continued. "For one thing I'm not really inta public performance. Besides I wasn't being the one recruited." He grinned mischievously at Stella.

Stella shook her curls. "Wouldn't find me there either. I think I'd discover that the nuns were still willing to hunt me down. Besides not the world's safest environment."

"As Emma Pierce found out."

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Don slammed the apartment door shut. He stood just inside, letting his eyes adjust to the dimness. He made his way to the couch and dropped down onto it. He leaned his head back closing his eyes briefly before they snapped open again and he pounded his fist on a couch cushion. _He knew this was going to happen. He had warned Mac. And now a girl was dead. Another one missing, probably with the same sicko. Clay Dobson. And how many more?_ _How many more bastards walkin' the street. How many more victims?_ Don stood up suddenly. The apartment was suddenly too close. Too stifling. He got up and headed out for a walk.

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Tess headed for home. Just after getting off the subway, she spotted her favorite Dean and Deluca's. She glanced at the clock over the counter. It was later than she intended to be, but Don wouldn't be home for a while. The idea of going to the empty apartment didn't appeal to her at the moment. She ducked in and ordered a hazelnut steamer. Tess grabbed a table and pulled out a stack of quizzes to work on.

A knock on the window caused her to look up. She frowned at the figure standing there. _Alex? _He motioned if it was ok to join her. Tess sighed heavily and shrugged. Alex nodded and headed inside. He got a coffee as Tess straightened up her quizzes and tucked them back into her messenger bag. She looked up as Alex approached the table. He smiled at Tess.

"Hiya, Tess. Kind of out of your neighborhood."

"No. I live a couple of blocks from here. With my fiancé."

Alex looked at her in surprise. "Fiancé? Really?"

Tess nodded. "We're getting married in about a month."

"Really? Wow." Alex looked around a little. Tess indicated it was okay for him to sit.

"Yeah. Remember, how I ditched you at dinner that night?" Tess rocked her head from side to side. "It was to get back to Don."

"Your fiancé?"

"He wasn't at the time, but yeah."

"Well, congratulations."

Tess smiled. "Thanks. He's a great guy."

"He'd better be. He's a lucky guy."

Tess laughed. "Thank you. I think I'm pretty lucky to have him too."

"So what does he do?"

Tess sipped her now cooled steamer. "Don's a homicide detective."

"That sounds like a cheerful job," mused Alex.

Tess shrugged. "It's tough, not fun, but….he's good at it. I really couldn't picture him doing anything else. The job fits him."

"So he's kind of intense."

"Well, yes, but in a good way." Tess looked over at Alex. "He's got a wicked sense of humor. Very sarcastic, biting."

Alex grinned. "Oh, I can see that appealing to you. And I'll bet he likes sports."

Tess smiled and nodded. "But he's a Yankees fan."

"Oh, your poor father."

"Daddy likes him."

"And your Mom?"

Tess bit her lip as the tears filled her eyes. "Mama died in February."

"Oh my God, Tess. I am so sorry."

Tess reached up and tugged on her braid. "She was in a car accident. But a blood clot killed her."

"Oh, Tess." Alex reached out and touched the hand resting on the table.

"This is lookin' cozy."

Tess' head snapped up. Don was standing there glaring at them. A flicker of guilt flew through Tess. _What do you have to feel guilty about? You didn't meet Alex here on purpose. You were sitting here. He walked in._ "Don? What are you doing here?"

"I might ask the same of you, Tess."

"I stopped by here to grade some papers. I actually do that a lot when you're working late."

"And do ya do _this_ a lot?" He looked from Tess to Alex. Tess' eyes widened. She opened and shut her mouth several times, but no sound came out.

"Hey, I was just passing by and saw Tess. She _was_ here _just_ grading papers."

Don glared at Alex. "So ya thought ya'd jus' come in and chat her up?"

"It's not like that…Don? Right?"

"It sure looks like that."

Tess felt her anger rising. "I had just told Alex…"

"Alex? As in _flower guy _Alex? As in _ex-boyfriend _Alex?" Don's voice was getting louder.

Tess' frowned at him. "What is _wrong_ with you? I didn't want to go home to an empty apartment, so I stopped in here to get a steamer and grade some papers. Alex was just walking by."

"Very convenient."

Tess stood up and snatched up her messenger bag. She glared at Don. "It was just a coincidence. I don't have to stand here and listen to you accuse me of…of…whatever. Alex, I'm sorry. Thank you for your condolences about my mother."

"Yer jus' gonna leave?" asked Don. Tess ignored him and walked away. Don stood there watching her leave. Each step away took the steam out of his anger. He closed his eyes knowing he'd been an ass. He opened his eyes again and watched Tess leave.

"She's pregnant?" asked Alex surprised.

Don glanced at Alex. His shoulders slumped. Anger completely burned out. Guilt filling the spaces left behind. _Pregnant. Unxepectedly. With your kid. Cuz you weren't thinkin' after Truby got busted._ "Yeah. She's due in August."

Alex kept staring after Tess' retreating form. "We'd been talking about you," said Alex. "Tess was telling me what a great guy you are."

Don looked at the other man and smiled grimly. "Hard ta believe, isn't it?"

"I know what it looked like. I don't like the idea of you with her either." Don flashed a heated look at Alex who shrugged. "You're in love with her. I know the feeling."

"I don't really want to talk wit' ya about Tess," growled Don.

"Tess is very special," prompted Alex watching the detective towering over him.

"I _know_ that," growled Don. He leaned down on the table and pinned Alex with an intense gaze. "I don't really appreciate ya chattin' up my fiancée. You walked out on her. She's marryin' me and havin' my baby. She's moved on. I suggest you do the same."

Alex looked mildly at Don. "I can't guarantee that if I run into Tess again that I won't talk to her. Or have coffee with her. Are you going to tell her she can't talk to me?"

"I don't boss Tess around."

Alex smiled. "Probably a good thing. Tess doesn't take well to being bossed around."

Don narrowed his at Alex. "Yer getting some kind of kick outta this. Ya know I don't need yer approval to marry Tess."

Alex looked down at the table. "Put the shoe on the other foot. What if you'd broken up with Tess and I was marrying her?"

"I wouldn't be havin' a discussion wit' you about it."

"Fair enough." Alex looked up. "But if_ I_ were _you_, I wouldn't still be here not having a discussion."

Don stood up a little startled. "Jus' leave her be," he growled and left the coffee shop.

Don walked around the block a few times still trying to burn off his anger. And guilt. _You had no right to attack Tess like that._ _But the sight of Flower Guy touching his Tess_. It was easier to latch onto that bit of indignation. He couldn't really be mad at Mac. _And even if you were not much ya can do about it. Could be mad at Truby for being a fuck-up. Yeah, but can't do anythin' about that either. Wish Flower Guy had given me a reason to punch him. Gotta settle down. Can't go home and pick a fight with Tess over somethin' stupid._ Rain started to fall. Don looked up, closed his eyes and shook his head. _Perfect._ He kept walking.

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Tess looked over the edge of the couch when Don finally walked in. She sighed heavily and set the half empty yogurt container on the coffee table. She walked over and stood in front of Don. She looked him up and down shaking her head.

"You're making the carpet mushy." Don just stood there staring down at her. Tess silently slid his suit coat off and hung it over the back of a chair. She went back to Don and undid his tie. When she reached for the buttons of his shirt, Don's hands came up and stopped her.

"I'm sorry. I'm an idiot."

Tess dropped her hands. She looked up and smiled. "Yes, you are. But lucky for you, I love you anyhow." She went back to unbuttoning Don's shirt. "You're soaked through." Tess untucked Don's shirt. "Lucky for you too, this time I'm already pregnant." Don's eyes widened slightly. Tess blinked slowly. She pushed her glasses up her nose. "I talked to Stella. I figured if I called her, or Jess, or Danny, one of them would know why you were being an ass. Stella answered."

"Great," mumbled Don. Stella would chew him out good the next time he saw her.

"And you'll deserve it too." Tess smiled at the look on Don's face. "I told you that your thoughts are written in the depth of those pretty blue eyes." Tess touched his cheek lightly. "I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could do." She wrapped her arms around Don. He tried to duck out of her embrace.

"Sweetheart. Yer gonna git soaked," he protested. Tess refused to let go. Don rested his head on hers and absorbed the comfort she offered. He breathed in the scent of gingerbread and smiled. He tried to pull her a little closer and chuckled. "That bump of yours is starting to get in the way."

Tess looked up and grinned. "Bump of mine? I think you had something to do with it too. And you'd better get used to it. It'll be getting bigger before it disappears." Don kissed the top of Tess' head and ran his hand over the bump in question. Tess shivered slightly. Don rubbed her arms to warm her a little.

"I told ya that you'd git wet." Don stepped away, linking his fingers with Tess'. "Come on. Let's git outta these clothes before ya really git chilled. I'll get cleaned up and then how about something' ta eat?"

"Sounds like a plan," agreed Tess.

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The apartment door rattled and Tess quickly turned off the television. She dropped the remote and jumped up as Don opened the door. She rubbed her hands on her pants as he took in her appearance. Cloudy blue eyes met hers.

"So, I take it ya heard," he said dully. Don headed to the bedroom to change, Tess followed him. She glanced back towards the living room.

"I saw the news. But they were already talking about it at school."

Don chuckled bitterly. "I bet that was entertaining."

Tess caught Don's hand as she sat down on the edge of the bed. Don stood before her. She gave his hand a squeeze. "Are you OK?"

Don looked at their linked hands, Tess' eyes and looked away. He tried to pull his hand back, but Tess held on. "I dunno, Sweetheart." He sat down next to Tess, shoulders slumped. "The thing is…I can't really say I'm sorry Dobson is dead."

"He was handcuffed when..."

"And Mac was the only one up there. Yeah. I know how it looks, Tess. Ya don't have ta spin it." Don stood back up. "I just dunno know, Tess. This is _Mac_." He raked his fingers through his hair.

Tess nodded. "I know." They stood silently, both lost in thought. "Dinner's ready whenever you want it. I just have to heat it up. Do you want a beer or something?"

"A beer would be good." Tess stood up. She leaned up and gave Don a soft kiss as she passed by. He pulled Tess close and held her for a few heartbeats. He kissed her hair and let her go. "I'll be out in a few minutes," he promised.

Tess tried to give Don a reassuring smile. She touched his cheek again and Don leaned into her hand. "Whenever. No hurry."

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Sunlight barely filtered in through the curtains when Don sat up and slid quietly out of bed. He slipped on a pair of sweats, a tshirt and hoodie. He grabbed his wallet and keys and turned to find Tess sitting up and watching him.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep. I didn't mean to…"

"You didn't." Tess smiled. "Usually it's me up and you asleep."

Don frowned. He knelt down in front of Tess and picked up her hand, rubbing her knuckles. "You haven't said anythin' about…"

"It's okay." Tess squeezed his hand. "What was I supposed to do? Wake you up so neither of us got any sleep?"

Don sighed heavily. He stood up again. "I was gonna go out and grab something from around the corner for breakfast. But you've gone and ruined my surprise," he teased. Tess let go of his hand, fluffed her pillows and flopped back down. She closed her eyes.

"Just pretend I wasn't awake. Surprise me." Don grinned, shook his head and left.

As soon as he was gone, Tess snuck to the bathroom. When she came out, she pulled a dark charcoal suit from the closet, laid it on the bed and brushed it off. She grabbed a pale gray dress shirt with a slight pinstripe and set it next to the suit. Tess turned back to the closet and started sorting through Don's ties. She chose one and was about to lay it out when she noticed a slight stain on it. Tess clucked her tongue and put it back. She grinned as she pulled out a wide diagonal stripe with light blue, medium blue and a slightly darker green. _Love this tie. _Tess held the tie against the shirt, nodded and dropped it. She stepped back and surveyed what she had laid out. The gray undertone ties the group together. Tess knit her brows together. _How dare Bette comment on Don's clothes_. Tess yawned, stretched and headed to the living room.

Tess flipped the TV off as Don rattled the door open. She reclined on the couch and closed her eyes. Don shut the door and chuckled as he caught sight of her playing opossum on the couch. He set the bag of pastries and cup carrier on the table and walked over to Tess. He knelt down and just watched Tess for a bit. Tess' lips started to twitch as she felt his stare. Suddenly, Don reached out and tickled Tess. Her eyes snapped open and she started shrieking with laughter. Tess beat ineffectually at Don, trying to stop the onslaught.

"Cut it out. Please," she begged, gasping for breath. Don finally relented and gave her a smacking kiss. Tess glared up at him, the ghost of a smile destroying the angry look she was trying for. Don helped her up. He drew her into a short squeeze and led her over to the table. He pulled out a chair and got her seated.

"Don't touch the bag," he said as he headed for the kitchen. Don grabbed two plates and some napkins before returning to Tess. He set the plates out and started to open the bag.

Tess grinned up at him. "Such formality."

"Tess, we are not barbarians. We can use plates," he answered with mock primness. Tess stifled a giggle. Don placed a large cheese Danish in front of Tess and a sticky bun on his plate. He took one cup and placed it next to Tess' plate. "Hazelnut Latte, heavy on the milk because you're pregnant and need to cut back on the coffee."

"A little late for that, Mom," smirked Tess. Don smirked back. Tess looked down at the Danish. She looked back at Don and pushed her glasses up her nose. "What, no fork? I might get my fingers all sticky."

Don frowned at her. He picked up Tess' hand and pressed her fingers into the gooey cheese of the Danish. He looked into her eyes as he brought her hand to his mouth. Don slowly and carefully sucked the cheese from Tess' fingers. When he had finished, he flashed a heated grin.

"Solved that problem."

Tess stared at him lips slightly parted, face flushed. "Um. Thanks."

Don's grin broadened. "Anytime." He dropped her hand and sat down.

"Tease," grumbled Tess. Don just grinned and took a big bite of his sticky bun, licking his lips. Tess bit into her Danish and chewed thoughtfully. She took another bite, titled her head back and moaned in ecstasy. She ran her tongue over her lips, clearing off the crumbs.

"Now, who's a tease?"

"What goes around comes around."

"What's good for the goose is good for the gander?"

"Don't dish it out…"

Don held up his hand laughing. "Stop it. I give." Tess smiled. They finished eating in silence. When he had finished, Don stood up and glanced at the clock. He sighed heavily, breaking the light mood.

"I gotta get outta here." Tess nodded silently. Don headed for the bathroom to shower as Tess cleared the table. She ran her finger over Don's plate, scooping up a couple of sticky pecan crumbs. She licked her finger and sighed sadly. _Not at all the same. _

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	33. And never worry 'bout the fall

A/N: See intro for the usual stuff. Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. Only 2 more days!!! Yeah! In the meantime, please enjoy my own little corner of the world. Please R & R. Thanks for reading.

Just a side note on the chapter title. Comes from a song called Consequence Free by Great Big Sea. Great song...great band. I highly suggest a listen.

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Tess felt her unease growing as another set of parents stopped their whispered conversation as she passed. She took a deep breath and let out slowly, reached up and fiddled with her hair. Tess felt someone watching her. She looked over at Misha who raised an eyebrow at her. Tess gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. _Glad Don didn't come. He would have confronted someone._ Tess bit her lip to keep from doing the same as two mothers stopped talking and stared at her. She ground her teeth together and kept walking. She spotted Gracie and Rob Dominguez coming cautiously through the door. She waved and headed over to them. She gave Gracie a fierce hug. Tess felt her eyes prickle. As she stepped away she noticed Gracie wipe at her eyes. Tess gave a watery smile.

"It is so good to see both of you. When I sent the invitation, I wasn't sure you'd come."

Rob waved his hand around. "Angie loved the team. We couldn't have missed it." Gracie nodded her assent too.

Tess led them to a table. "Omie and Takisha West are sitting with you." Tess looked around. "I don't think they're here yet."

Gracie craned her neck around. "I don't see your Detective Flack."

"I'm sorry. Don couldn't make it."

"Oh." Gracie looked around. "Is everything okay? The news has been talking about the police a lot this week. He's not…"

Tess sighed heavily. "He's giving testimony in the hearing." Tess pulled at her braid. "I don't really want to talk…"

Rob interrupted her. He scowled at several of the staring parents and straightened up. "I don't care what's being said on the news. All I know is that without the hard work of Detective Flack and that Detective Angell and the people in the crime lab, the guys what killed Angie and attacked Louisa Hibberd would still be running around out there hurting girls. Our girls." His voice boomed in the suddenly silent room. "Miss Nagy, you just let them know that I support them." Rob glared around the room again. His wife placed her hand on his arm. He slumped slightly. "I'm sorry," he mumbled softly. "It's so easy for them to stand in judgment. They don't know." Tess nodded. "I didn't really mean to be so loud."

"It's okay, Rob. Why don't you have a seat? Dinner will be starting shortly." Tess drew them over to the table. "Wagners are here. You know Jasmine and Karl and Izzie, right?" Tess made sure that Rob and Gracie got seated and left them to talk with the Wagners. She made her way to the table where Misha and the new assistant coach were seated. Misha stood and helped Tess to sit down. When they were all settled, he leaned in toward Tess.

"Everything okay, Teresa?"

"As good as can be," she replied. She turned toward the man on her other side. Her replacement. A slight pang squeezed her heart. She'd miss her kids. _You can come back later. Any send the baby where? Leaving the baby in day care was going to be bad enough. There wasn't going to be time for extra-curriculars. No, there was no going back. _Tess glanced over at the table where she had left the Dominguez's. Takisha and her mother had joined them. Takisha waved. Tess waved back.

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Danny finished his beer and set down the glass. "I gotta get home, Flack. Thanks for the game."

"What? Ya got a hot date or something'?" Don grinned. "Oh, wait. You still gotta git the nerve up ta ask Montana."

"Don't ya have yer girl ta git back to?" growled Danny.

Don shook his head. "Tess is at a school thing. Fencing Team banquet." Don started racking the balls. "Come on. Just one more game?"

"Fine. Jus' one. Jus' because you seem to need someone to keep ya company."

"You ain't my type, Messer," chuckled Don.

Danny grinned at his friend. "I've got two legs and am breathin'. That used to be your type."

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Smart ass." Don lined up his shot and let his cue fly.

Danny finally convinced Don it was time to head home. They headed out and out in opposite directions. The pool and beer had pushed a lot of what had gone on today out of his mind, but the ride home gave him too much time to think. By the time he reached the apartment, everything had crashed back in around him. He opened the apartment door to be greeted by darkness. Tess wasn't back yet. Don dropped down on the couch, brooding.

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The apartment was dark when Tess let herself in. She slid her bag off her shoulder and dropped it to the floor. Tess carefully stepped out of her shoes and sighed in relief. She left the room dark as she made her way to the bathroom.

"Tess." She let out and involuntary squeal as she whirled, spotting Don sitting on the couch. Tess reached out and turned on a light. Don was sitting on the couch still in his suit and tie. Tess' heart broke at the haunted look in his eyes. He held out his hand and Tess went over and took it. Don pulled her down into a fierce hug. He buried his face in her hair and just held her. Tess laid her head against his chest and wrapped her arms around him. After sitting silently for a while, Tess squirmed a little. She leaned away and touched Don's face.

"I'm sorry, but I've got to…" Tess stood up, linking her fingers with Don's and giving his hand a squeeze. "I promise I'll be right back. Okay?" Don nodded. Tess walked away, looking back several times.

When she had gone, Don stood up and went to change. Tess found him sitting on the edge of the bed. He had managed to shed his suit coat and shoes. Don looked up when Tess came in. Tess walked over and stood in front of him, between his open knees. She picked up his hands and held them. Don dropped Tess' hand, reached out and laid a hand on her belly. He looked up at Tess with watery eyes.

"I don't regret this one bit. Ya understand that, right?" Tess nodded. "Outta of all of this...outta that whole mess…this is the one good thing…" Don stroked her belly. Tess reached up and loosened Don's maroon tie. Don stared straight ahead. "It started with Sinclair and Gerrard cornering me in the hall. I was told 'I had a good head on my shoulders' and 'I know where my loyalties lie.' Sinclair even pointed out that careers, many careers could be hurt." Don looked up. "Gerrard made sure he asked after you."

Tess caressed Don's face. She bent down and kissed him tenderly. "Manipulative bastards." Anger burned in her eyes. She ground her teeth. Tess touched Don's face again. "You..."

He shook his head. "It's a witch hunt. I want no part of that," he vowed. Tess smiled and kissed him fiercely. Don sighed heavily. "I rather chase a perp for miles." He shook his head. "They know Mac didn't do anything'. They know and they jus' don't care. They're jus' throwin' Mac to the wolves."

Tess' heart broke at the pain in his voice. "I wish I could have…" She ran her fingers along Don's jaw.

Don pulled her to him in a hug. "Thanks." Don stood up. He ran his hand over Tess' hair. "I'm gonna take a shower. Wash the slime offa me. I'll be right out. Then I think there's a game on. Maybe you could put somethin' together ta snack on?" Tess nodded. Don kissed her. He ran his hand over her belly again. "I meant everythin' I said."

Tess nodded and smiled. "I know. Remember?"

Don cocked his head. "Maybe I should start wearin' sunglasses."

"No! Please don't!" cried Tess in mock horror. "Your eyes are your best feature. It would be a shame to hide them," she said, her face serious. Don raised an eyebrow. Tess' lips twitched until she broke out into a wide grin. "Okay. You have other very nice features too." Tess stepped back and looked Don over from head to toe. "All in all a very nice package."

"Oh, I see. You go from talking about my great eyes to eyein' my nice package." Tess blushed scarlet and hit Don on the arm. "Hey. I've been beat up enough today." Don pulled Tess back into his arms and squeezed her. "I think yer a pretty nice package too, Tess Almost-Flack."

Tess jumped away. "Oh! That reminds me. Steph called with a wedding question. I gotta call her back." She pushed Don towards the bathroom. "You shower. I'll make phone calls." Tess rushed out of the bedroom.

"Ya'd better work on the food first," Don called after her. "You'll git on the phone with yer sister and it'll be midnight before we eat."

"I'm on it. Promise," replied Tess.

Don padded barefoot into the kitchen. Tess was talking a mile a minute to her sister, phone tucked between her head and shoulder. She was putting several things on a plate. She popped the plate into the microwave and set the timer. Don snuck up behind her and kissed her neck. Tess yelped and dropped the phone. It clattered to the floor. Tess retrieved it, glaring at Don. He grinned at her, pushed her back against the counter and pinned her there. He started nuzzling Tess' neck.

"Steph, just a minute." Tess pressed the phone flat against her shoulder. "What happened to you in that shower?" she hissed at him.

"Nothin'," he mumbled against her skin. He worked his way along Tess' collarbone and started to slide his hands under her shirt.

Tess sighed and picked up the phone again. "Steph, I gotta go."

"Tell Don he's already knocked you up. He doesn't need to prove his virility."

"Tell your sister she's loud on the phone and I can hear her."

"If he wasn't right on top of you, he wouldn't hear me," countered Stephanie. Tess' growled.

Don plucked the phone out of Tess' hand. "Good night, Steph." He snapped it shut and set it on the counter behind them. Tess stared open-mouthed at him. Don ran his thumb over her bottom lip. "What?"

"Were you kidnapped by aliens when you were in the shower?" Don shook his head. "Do you have something stashed in there I don't know about?" Don just raised an eyebrow. "Then what's come over you?" Don grinned and Tess shivered. "Don't even say it."

"I don't haveta." The microwave beeped. Don reached over and popped the door open. "Oh, good. Food's done." He stepped away from Tess and grabbed the plate. Tess just stood there staring at him, breathing heavily. Don grabbed a fork and took a bite. His mouth flew open. "Hot, hot!"

"Serves you right." Tess spun away and stalked out of the kitchen, Don's laughter following.

Don sat down on the couch next to Tess. She ignored him and flipped through the channels. Don lifted another bite and blew on it. He stuck the fork in his mouth. "Mmmm." Tess glared at him. He chuckled. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart." He waved a full fork in front of her. "Take a bite." Tess opened her mouth and Don fed her. She closed her mouth around the fork, grabbed his hand and slowly drew the fork out. Tess looked into Don's eyes and ran her tongue over her lips. She noticed a little bit of sauce on the corner of Don's mouth, leaned over and delicately licked it away. She grinned at Don's sharp intake of breath. Tess turned back forward and went back to channel surfing. She kept her eyes off Don. He set the plate on the coffee table, reached over and took the remote from her hand. He set the remote very firmly down next to the plate.

"Something wrong?" Tess asked mildly. Don just pulled her into his lap and covered her lips with a searing kiss.

"Everythin's jus' fine," he answered tightly before recapturing Tess' mouth.

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Tess was packing up some papers when she heard a sound at her classroom door. She looked up to find Don standing there. She grinned and Don grinned back. He came up next to her desk. Tess beamed up at him and ran her hand over his lapel.

"Someone got off early." Tess grabbed her messenger bag and slung it over her shoulder. They headed out into the hall.

"Well, I thought I'd pick my girl up and take her out for her favorite meal."

Tess looked at him suspiciously. "What are you up to?" Don ignored her question, wrapped his arm around her and led her down the hall. Tess looked up. "Really. What are you up to?"

Don looked down hurt shining in his eyes. "Sweetheart, yer killin' me. What makes you think I'm up to somethin'?"

Tess raised her eyebrows. "When is the last time you picked me up at school?"

Don stopped and looked at the ground. "It's been a while," he admitted.

"And now you know why I'm wondering what's up."

"I have somethin' I wanna show ya, but let's have dinner first. Can we do that?" They started walking again.

"So, since you're here I'm guessing you got that McEnroe case wrapped up."

"Really wasn't him."

"Didn't think so."

"An obsessed doppelganger. It was pretty much accidental. He ran to protect McEnroe's image."

Tess frowned. "That didn't work so well."

"Never does." They walked silently along, just enjoying each other's company.

"How is Mac doing?"

Don shrugged. "He's not big on sharing. He got cleared. He's puttin' it behind him. I mean you can see he's still pissed, who wouldn't be, but he ain't gonna talk about it."

Tess nodded. "So where are we going after dinner?"

"Uh-uh. You aren't gonna git me ta spoil the surprise." Tess pouted. Don grinned at her. "Very cute, but still no." Tess harrumphed. Don laughed and squeezed Tess.

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Tess popped the last bite of her meal in her mouth and looked at Don expectantly. Don just smiled. He paid the bill and helped Tess up from the floor.

"You're still not telling me anything, are you?"

"Howabout I give you some clues?"

Tess frowned slightly. "Okay, but you are having far too much fun with this."

"I've been watching you draw floor plans out on paper."

"Well, it's going to take some rearranging to get everything into the apartment."

"And yer havin' trouble makin' things fit."

"I'm doing fine." Don raised an eyebrow. "Okay, it's not going fine, but I'll make it work."

"What if you didn't have to jus' make it work?"

Tess stopped and stared at Don her frown deepening. Suddenly her face cleared slightly. "We're going to look at an apartment?" Tess shook her head a little. "I thought we had decided that moving right now wasn't a good idea? With the wedding and the baby…"

"That was before I heard about this apartment openin' up."

"I don't know…"

"We've got an appointment ta look. We don't havta take it."

Tess sighed. "Okay. I guess. So are you going to tell me where this apartment is and how you came to find out about it?"

"No."

"Are you going to give me any more clues?"

"No."

"What if I decide I don't want to go?"

Don smiled down at Tess. "Oh, you want to see this apartment. Trust me."

"Fine," grumbled Tess.

Don guided Tess to the subway and the negotiated their route. Tess tried to pry a few more clues out of Don, but he remained tight-lipped. They switched trains again and Tess stopped short on the platform.

"Are we going to visit Bette? Did she put you on to this apartment?"

Don tugged on her hand. "Come on. We don't wanna miss the train." He drew her forward. When they had squeezed into the car, Don looked down at Tess. "Answers to your questions. Kinda. Yes."

"But you're not going to tell me anything else?"

"Nope." Don looked down at Tess and grinned. "If I could blindfold you I would." Tess frowned. Don kept his face neutral. They continued their eye war for a little while. Tess gave up with another snort and pulled out her knitting.

Tess recognized the announced stop and tucked her yarn and needles away as the train slowed to a stop. Don directed her onto the platform. Tess knew right where she was headed and moved swiftly ahead of Don. He adjusted his stride to keep up.

"I was wonderin' how you do that on subway."

Tess slowed slightly. "Knitting? I just do. It helps to have a seat, but I've been known to knit standing with my arms around a pole."

"Don't do that."

"What? Knit standing up?" Tess grinned mischievously. "Worried about my safety?"

"And that maybe you'll stab someone."

"You take all the fun out of things," whined Tess. They arrived in front of Tess' old building. The doorman smiled.

"Hiya, Miss Tess."

"Hello, Tommy. Good to see you. How's the foot?"

"Got some new shoes. Doin' much better. How's yer new place?"

"It's nice. Doesn't have a doorman like you though."

"Tess," grumbled Don.

"Sorry, Tommy. I guess I've got to go."

Tommy wagged his head at Don. "Yer guy's jus' afraid of the competition." Don snorted. Tommy and Tess broke into laughter. "Don't be such a stranger." He held the door open for Tess and Don. Don directed Tess through. When she tried to head for the elevator, Don steered her away.

"What?"

"Mr. Litterio is waiting for us."

"The super? Why?"

"We're lookin' at an apartment."

'An apartment?"

"Do ya need ta repeat everythin' I say?" Don's mouth twitched. He broke into wide grin. "Actually, we're lookin' at yer old apartment."

"My old…" Tess' mouth snapped shut. "Bette didn't tell me she was moving out. I thought she was lookin' for another…" Tess frowned. She pulled out her phone and started a text message. Don grabbed it out of her hand.

"Ya can talk ta Bette after we look at the…"

Tess sighed in frustration. "I _know_ what my old apartment looks like."

Don raised his eyebrows. "Then do ya jus' wanna sign a lease?"

"Sign a…" Tess noticed Don grinning again and snapped her mouth shut. "Can we afford…"

"I think so. If worse comes ta worse, we'll eat out less. It's not like ya can't cook."

"But we're going to be paying child care…"

"We need a bigger apartment. We'll manage." Don whipped a tear from Tess' cheek. "Now don't let yer hormones get all crazy." He cupped her chin in his hand and looked into her eyes. "Are ya happy about this?"

"I might have liked a little more input." Tess gave Don a sudden fierce hug. "Thank you. Can we really sign a lease tonight?"

"I've got a check for the deposit and rent right here."

"Then let's fill out the papers and go upstairs so I can kill Bette."

Don threw his head back and laughed. "I can't let ya do that, Sweetheart, but ya can chew her out good." He picked up Tess' hand. "Come on."

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	34. May God hold you in the palm of His hand

A/N: See the intro for the usual stuff. I did pull dialogue directly from the ep 3.24 "Snow Day." You'll recognise it. Please R & R. It's cheap. It's easy. And it makes me happy.

I am so sorry this took so long to write. It was kinda hard. This chap ended up a little long. I hope it's worth it.

I just noticed that Don and Tess met three years ago last Sunday. (Well, a couple of days earlier.) That puts me way behind. Maybe by the time their kid is ready for college I'll have actually posted the birth. Anyhow... Tigers went down with a poof this year. Sigh. (A local radio station actually had the audacity to say we should root for the evil pinstripe empire.) At least hockey has started, although the Wings are not doing stellar.

On a CSI:NY related note...I am so tickled that the new season is running. I love seeing new stories every week. (Now if only I could offer the same.) I worry about our poor fellow though. He's hurting bad. Not even wearing suits. (Who would have thought I'd complain about that?) I expect him to grieve. But I'll know he's begun healing when the suits come back. At least he's shaving regularily. But is he letting his hair grow out? And was it just the light in last night's epi or is it getting grayish? OK, I'm being overly analytical. I'll quit now. Enjoy.

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The alarm beeped loudly in the dark room. Don groaned rolled over and hit the clock. He rolled back and cuddled against Tess, rubbing his face in her hair. _Maybe I should just…_ He pushed the thought from his mind and nudged Tess.

"I heard the alarm," she mumbled back.

"But yer not movin'," Don murmured in her ear.

"I'm tired. It's your fault."

"We've gotta go. It's the deal we made with Father Andrews and yer uncle. Unless ya don't wanna git married in a church?"

Tess rolled to her back and sighed heavily. "No. I've _got_ to get married in a church." She propped herself up on her elbows. "This is the last Mass before anyhow. By next Sunday, we'll be married."

"Then there's the Christening."

"Back in Toledo." Tess flopped back. "Then we can go back to being nominally Catholic."

"Very funny." Don brushed her hair out of her eyes. "We're lucky they'd let us get married on such short notice. And without all of the usually rig-a-marole."

Tess rolled her eyes. "I know. But after the Christening we won't be doing penance any more and having to go to 7am Mass. And sitting prominently up front. We can go back to sliding in late at the back of church for Noon Mass." Tess turned on her side and faced Don. "Catholic schools?"

"Did I attend? My opinion? Are we sending the kid to one?"

"All of the above."

"Yes. I survived. Do we have a choice? You?"

"Yes. Ditto. Probably not. After all, the poor kid already has a strike against them." Tess grinned.

Don grinned back. "Shouldn't that be a mark against us as parents?"

"Us? We are already completely doomed. When's the last time you went to confession?"

"Let's see I graduated…"

Tess laughed. "Exactly. Doomed."

"That would be _damned_, Sweetheart." Tess just rolled her eyes and threw a pillow at him.

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The alarm beeped and Don reached over and quickly silenced it. He had been awake for a while. Anticipation had pulled him from sleep early and he stared silently at the ceiling. His eyes flickered toward the clock. _No more time to lie here trying to forget about what was planned for today._ He pushed his legs off the side of the bed. Tess shifted, searching for his warmth. Don sighed heavily_. Just lie there and forget about the world. Sounds so good._ Don stood up. He turned back to pull the covers straight and met Tess' eyes.

"I'm sorry."

Tess shook her head. "You didn't wake me. Not really. Do you have time for coffee?"

"Ya don't have ta git up."

"It's no big deal," shrugged Tess.

Don sat back down on the edge of the bed and picked up her hand_. Stupid Danny. Openin' his big mouth last night at the bar. Good thing Lindsay kicked him, or I'd a punched him out._ He held her hand, rubbing his thumb over Tess' knuckles. He tried to give her a cocky grin. "Ya don't have ta…"

"Don't sugar coat it for me, Don. I'm not stupid or naive."

Don nodded. "OK. But you can't freak out every time…"

"I don't." Tess leaned over and kissed him tenderly. "I'm just making you some coffee. Don't read anything into it."

"It's jus' a cuppa coffee."

"Yep."

Don shook his head. "Now who's sugar coatin'?"

Tess shrugged. "Let me live in a bubble sometimes. I promise not to go there too often." She touched his face and looked deep into his eyes. "I wouldn't trade any part of you for anything. Got it?"

"So you wouldn't want me ta be a preacher or somethin'?"

Tess frowned. "Since we're both Catholic wouldn't that make it a bigger mortal sin…?" Tess sat back, brows knit together. "Can you have a bigger mortal sin?"

Don chuckled. "I'd love ta debate theology wit ya, but I don't really have the time."

"But you do have time for me to make you coffee, right?"

"Is it that important ta ya?"

"Like Popeye and spinach."

Don squeezed her hand. "Then go ahead an' brew me a pot." Tess smiled weakly back.

"One pot of coffee coming up." She slid out of bed and padded to the kitchen.

He couldn't blame her for being worried. He was worried too. _And excited. But you can't tell Tess that._

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Don took a deep breath as the started moving toward the iron work's door. The first cop went through the opening and all hell broke loose.

"Get down! Everybody get down on the ground!" The gang dropped the coke they were unloading, but instead of dropping to the ground they picked up their guns. The sounds of automatic weapons filled the air. Don worked his gun, reloading on the fly. The smell of powder burned in his nostrils. Sweat rolled down his face and soaked his shirt under the body armor. A puff of coke filled the air as the shipment was used as a barricade and filled with bullets.

_We're all gonna pop after this one._ The thought quickly burned through Don's mind and then he focused back on corralling gang members and avoiding bullets. The semi trailer burst into flames. Don glanced over to see someone jumping out of the burning rig. He used the distraction to sneak in behind the semi and flank the gang. He came around the back and took a bead on the man in front of him.

"Drop your weapon!" The man spun around. "Drop your weapon!" Adrenaline surged through Don's veins. "Drop it!" The man growled at Don and drew up his gun. "Drop it! Drop it! Drop it _**now**_!"

Time slowed down to a crawl. Each distinct heartbeat pounded in Don's ears. He could hear the blood rushing through his body. Thoughts erupted like flash-bangs through his mind. _His parents. His sisters. Tess. The baby. Never holding his baby._ Don squeezed the trigger and felt the kick of the shotgun. He watched the man fall. One more thought burst through. _Did he have a wife and baby he'd never hold again?_ As the man hit the floor time sped up to normal again. Don almost panted as he fought to bring his heartbeat back under control.

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Hawks was photographing the body as Don approached.

"Any id?" he asked.

Don shook his head. "Nope. And the rest of the clan ain't talkin'. You'd do better with a swab of blood from that hole I put in his chest. It might git ya a hit in CODIS," he said a note of disgust in his voice.

Hawks glanced over at Don. "Hey. He was gonna kill you. You did what you had to do."

"Yeah. It's just not how I wanted to start my day." Don walked slowly away. Mac was just coming on scene.

"That's quite a score," Mac nodded towards the pallet of coke.

Don nodded. "A couple of months ago a CI tipped us off about it. I knew it was gonna be big. I just didn't know it was gonna be this big."

"Any of our guys get hurt?"

Don glanced out into space. "Sanchez took one in the shoulder. But he's on his way to Queen of Mercy.

"What about you?" Mac looked at Don thoughtfully.

"I'm not used to looking down the barrel of an AK-47, but I'll be alright," he shrugged.

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Tess ducked into the faculty lounge. The TV in the corner was running quietly. Usually it just scrolled announcements, but today a couple of teacher's had hijacked it. Tess ignored them and headed for the fridge. Her growling stomach put her on a mission. Tess dug into the fridge looking for her lunch bag. She found it and pulled out her yogurt. She slowly tore the top off the tube and squeezed a blob into her mouth. Tess closed her eyes savoring the cool, strawberry taste filling her mouth.

"Hey, Tess! You're just in time. Your guy's giving a press conference. He looks good." Krista grinned at Tess. She turned back to the TV.

"Does you husband know you keep lusting after my fiancée?"

"I dunno. Do you know I keep lusting after Tess' fiancée?" Krista asked the man sitting beside her. Tess suddenly realized that it was Joe Burke sitting next to Krista. Social studies. No wonder the TV was on. _Current events junkie._

Tess wandered over to the TV frowning slightly. _What was Krista going on about?_ _Since when does a simple raid get a press conference?_ Tess looked at Don standing behind the table full of white bricks and the yogurt suddenly felt like a rock in her stomach. She made a small noise. Joe turned around.

"Are you OK? You don't look like you feel well."

Tess sank to a chair eyes glued on the TV. "Joe, I'm fine. I just need to…" _Don _did_ look good._

He was describing the raid. There was a sight catch in his voice when mentioning the causalities. The average person wouldn't have noticed it. _But you're not the average person, are you? Don shot the guy. That's a lot of cocaine, or heroin or whatever. This was no simple raid. _Tess tried to ignore the voice babbling in her head. The yogurt hung from her limp hand. Her hunger was momentarily overridden by concern for Don. She watched Don calmly answer questions. Her unease evaporated as she realized he seemed uninjured. It was over and he was safe. The news flash finished and they returned to Dr. Phil. The two teachers that had been watching the brief turned and looked at Tess expectantly. Tess shifted nervously.

"What?"

"That was unreal. Did you see the amount of drugs in front of your fiancée?" asked Krista.

"There were a lot," agreed Tess.

"I don't know how you do it. I couldn't handle it if my husband was a cop doing that kind of stuff." Krista shook her head.

"Good thing he's a teacher then." Tess smiled weakly. "Mostly his job is pretty routine."

"If _that's_ routine, we're in trouble. Did you know about it?"

"I knew he had something going on this morning."

"Wow. I don't know how you do it, Tess." Krista shook her head and cleaned up the debris from her lunch. Krista leaned down and kissed Joe's temple. "I'll see you later." Tess sat there with a watery smile pasted on her face. Krista shook her head and left. Tess didn't move.

"Everything okay?"

Tess looked over at Joe. She nodded and schooled her features into a blank mask. "Really, I'm fine. That…that was just a little unexpected."

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault." He nodded and wandered off. Tess had lost her appetite and was tempted to throw the yogurt away and shove her lunch back in the fridge. _You need to eat,_ her inner voice scolded. Tess ate the rest of her yogurt even though the flavor was gone. She slid her cell phone out of her pocket, flipped it open and held down Don's speed dial key. It rang once and she flipped it shut. _You saw. He's fine. He doesn't need you bugging him._

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Don was talking with some SWAT team members when he felt his phone vibrate. He excused himself and was about to answer when it went silent. Don unclipped it and brought up the missed call. _Tess. Damn._ He's been hoping she wouldn't get wind of this for a while yet. _Gossiping teachers. _He took a deep breath and dialed her back. _Maybe she hadn't heard._

"Hiya, Sweetheart. Everythin' OK?" he rushed when she picked up.

"I might ask the same thing about you," she countered quietly.

Don released a heavy breath. "Someone saw the press conference?"

"_I_ saw the press conference. Lunch period."

Don swore under his breath. _Should have delayed a bit longer. _"I'm fine really."

"I know. I saw. That's why I hung up. I figured I'd talk with you later…if you wanted to."

Don closed his eyes. _She knew. _He had no idea how she knew, but she did. "The city hires professionals for that, ya know," he tried to joke.

"I know. But they're not me."

Don closed his eyes briefly. "I'll see ya later." The reality of what had almost happened slammed him again. _I came so close to widowing her before we even got married._ Don took a ragged breath. "I love you."

"So I've heard." Tess pushed the sick feeling she still had down. "Good thing we went to Mass yesterday. You're all paid up."

"Yer forgettin' the whole 'livin' in sin' thing."

"You want me to have Uncle Stash call and take your confession?"

"I've already gotten Last Rites, ya know." He heard Tess' small gasp and cursed himself for pushing their gallows' humor too far. "I shouldn't have…"

"It's okay. You had better see me later, that's all. I'll whack you upside the head then."

"Oh, _that_ makes me wanna come home."

"You know you like it, Don Flack."

Don smiled slightly and shook his head. "Don't switch gears so fast, Sweetheart. I'm not quite up for the change in direction."

"Maybe later then," she teased.

"Geeze, Tess." He closed his eyes. She was almost managing to distract him. "I gotta run. You gonna be OK?"

"I'd ask the same about you. I'm fine. I _will_ see you later."

"Promise."

Tess sighed. "Don't. Okay? Don't promise. Under the circumstances it makes me nervous. Just do your best. Oh. And I love you too." Tess clicked off. Don clipped his phone to its holster and went back to the business at hand.

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There was a knock on the door. Tess ignored it and listened to the student speaking in front of the class. A second knock sounded and Tess held her hand up to pause the student. She walked to the door and opened it. She looked surprised to find the chair of her department there.

"Dr. Larry. How may I help you?" She motioned for Tess to come into hall. Tess looked at Takisha. "Miss West, please take my clipboard. Jake, please continue. I'll be right back." Tess briskly stepped out of the classroom and looked at her colleague expectantly. The other woman kept her expression blank.

"Dr. Pritchett would like you to come down to the office."

"Loretta, I'm in the middle…"

"It isn't a request. Can your intern handle the class if I'm in the classroom?"

"I suppose. What have I….?"

Loretta tried to give Tess a reassuring smile. "You aren't in trouble, Tess." Her face went serious. "I think it would be best if Dr. Pritchett explained."

"Should I take my…"

"You might want to get your purse at least."

"Just my purse, Loretta?"

"This isn't a dismissal or anything similar, Tess. But go ahead and get your purse."

Tess quietly opened the classroom door. The class looked up at her. Tess pasted on a smile.

"Miss West, I need you to take the class. Dr. Larry will be observing. I need to step out for a little while."

"Miss Nagy…?" Takisha's face was filled with confusion and concern.

"It's fine, Takisha. Go ahead," said Tess reassuringly. Tess retrieved her purse and headed into the hall. She glanced back at the classroom. Takisha had taken her place on the stool and Dr. Larry had settled into the back of the room. Tess apprehensively made her way down to the principal's office. She paused a moment before entering the administrative offices. She took a deep breath and went in.

"Tess. Dr. Pritchett will see you in his office. Go on in." Tess just nodded and slowly walked over to the office and opened the door. Mark Pritchett looked up.

"Hello, Tess. Come on in."

"Dr. Pritchett, what is this about? I was in the middle of class."

Mark nodded. "You know it's Mark." He smiled slightly.

"Not when you pull me out of my room." A sick feeling started to rise. Tess fought the need to sit. She didn't want to appear weak.

"Tess, this had nothing to do with your teaching."

"Then why…?"

"Krista Burke stopped by. She said your fiancée had been involved with a large raid this morning?"

"Yes, Krista and Joe had the press conference on in the lounge at lunch." She shook her head. "Don's fine though. I talked to him right after."

"Joe had the TV on again during 5th period. He recognized the warehouse from earlier."

"They were rerunning…"

"It wasn't from this morning. There's a hostage…"

"At _that_ warehouse?" The nausea got worse and Tess did sink into the chair before she fell. Mark flipped on the television in his office. A live feed featuring the warehouse filled the screen. A reporter babbled the details as they knew them. Tess could see the building ringed with police. She couldn't see any of them clear enough for identification. Silently, eyes glued to the screen, Tess slid her phone out of her purse and dialed Don. While she waited for the call to go through, she read the scroll announcing the evacuation of the police offices including the lab. It went to Don's voicemail. Tess' breathing started to get shallow. She looked through her contacts for Danny's number. She dialed again. No ring this time. Straight to voicemail. Her mind ran through who to call next. _Jess? Stella? Lindsay. _Tess looked again and found Lindsay's number. She didn't answer either. Tess closed her eyes to keep from crying. It finally occurred to her that with all that was going on, no one was going to answer. She took several gulping breaths; bringing her emotions and physical reactions under control.

"Do you want to go home?'

Tess looked up and shook her head hard. "I…I can't do anything about any of this. Can I please just go back to my classes, Sir?"

"Do you think you're able…?"

Tess took a deep breath and stood up. "I need to teach. All going home will do for me is give me more time to worry. I'd rather be in class."

Mark nodded. "If you're sure you can handle your classes then head back."

"Thank you. Thank you, Mark." Tess nodded and walked back to her classroom. The bell rang and the hall filled with students. She welcomed the distraction that making her way through the crowded hallways brought. Takisha was just picking up her bag when Tess entered. She looked up at Tess, her face etched with deep concern.

"Is everything okay, Miss Nagy?"

"Don't worry, Takisha." Tess tried to dodge the question.

"I've got today's quizzes. I'll work on those tonight."

"Thanks. That leaves me only three other classes and essays from logic and comp."

"Do you want me to do the other quizzes?

Tess smiled. "No. You're only responsible for this class. You have other homework I'm sure."

"It wouldn't be any problem. Really, Miss Nagy."

"Fine. Thank you. It would be a help." Tess picked up the folders and passed them to Takisha. Krista rushed into the classroom, but stopped short when she saw Tess. Tess glanced at Krista, then back at Takisha. "You need to get to your last class. Thank you for the extra help."

"No problem, Miss Nagy." She headed out the door. Krista stared at Tess. Tess looked back.

"Your husband needs to stop sneaking news in between classes. He's got a problem."

"It isn't…?"

Tess looked away. "I don't know. Everyone I know is a little busy."

"Loretta asked me to take your last class."

"I'm not leaving." Tess shook her head. "There's nothing I can find out. I need to finish out my day. I'll have to figure things out after." Tess looked at Krista who was still standing there. "You said you didn't know how I did it. _This_ is how I do it. I go forward and try not to worry."

"Do you want me to stay?"

"Up to you."

Krista searched Tess' face. "Catch me after school. If you need some company, I'm free."

"Thanks, Krista. I'll be fine."

"You sure?" Krista lingered in the doorway.

"Krista. This isn't you fault. Just because Joe's a news junkie, doesn't make any of this your fault." Students started filing into the classroom.

"If you need me to come in just give a shout."

"Thanks, Krista." Tess gathered her thoughts, pushed any about Don to the back of her mind and turned to face her class as the bell rang.

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Classes ended and Tess grabbed her messenger bag and headed out. As she hit 94th, she thought briefly about where to head. _I'd just be in the way at the precinct. There's no way I'm headed down to Police Plaza and Don would skin me if I got anywhere near that warehouse. I can't just sit around the apartment, waiting. _She decided Bette's might be the best choice. _Bette had better be at home. _Tess headed for the subway. She pulled out her phone.

"Hi. I'm at Bette and Peter's" She clicked off and tried in sequence Danny, Lindsay, Stella. No answer from any of them. Tess decided to try Don's desk. Someone_ had to be at the precinct._ After several jammed calls, it finally rang through. After several rings someone picked up.

"34th Precinct. Detective Angell."

Tess tried not to sigh. Something about Jess Angell made her nervous. "Hi. This is Tess. Tess Nagy."

"Don's not here," she answered abruptly.

Tess growled slightly in frustration. "I know."

"Then you _know_ we're a little busy. What can I do for you?" Before Tess could answer, Jess continued on. "He's not inside. He's on negotiations." Tess let out a sigh of relief. "Listen, we _are_ busy and I shouldn't be telling you anything."

"I'm not going to be talking with reporters, Jess."

"Danny's one of the hostages."

Tess stopped in her tracks, oblivious to the people buffeting against her. "Oh...my...God."

"I really gotta go. I'll tell…"

"You don't have to. I already left him a voice mail. Don't let him know I was nagging people. Thanks… Jess." The phone went dead in Tess' ear before she finished the sentence.

_Danny._ _They had all just been together the night before. Danny had been teasing her about being the guaranteed designated driver. He had left with Lindsay causing her and Don to speculate that maybe Lindsay was finally taking him seriously. Danny. Don's best friend. He was supposed to be the best man at their wedding. __Stop it,_ interjected another voice_. He _will_ be the best man at your wedding. Don's going to get him out of there and everything is going to be fine._ Helplessness engulfed Tess_. Everything can change in an instant._ She couldn't shake the feeling.

Tess numbly made her way to Bette and Peter's. She managed to get a seat on the subway, but just sat there staring straight ahead. She was almost to her stop when she felt her pocket buzzing. She fished out her phone and flipped it out without checking.

"Hello?"

"Where are you?" Tess almost smiled at the concern behind Bette's rough inquiry.

"On my way to your place. I hope you don't mind."

"Peter turned on the TV. We never turn on the TV. But tonight he did."

"It's not Don."

"Thank the Lord."

"Either place?"

"What do you mean….Oh, Headquarters and the lab. No."

"Again, thank you God." The relief was evident in Bette's voice. Tess took a deep breath.

"It's Danny."

"Danny? Like Best Man Danny? He works at the crime lab? The one that got evacuated?"

"No. I mean _yes he works at the lab_. _That_ Danny. But no not the evacuation." Tess could feel tears prickling her eyes and throat. "Danny… Danny's one of the hostages." The stop announcement came over the speakers. "I'm coming to the stop. I'll be…" Tess sighed as the call cut out. She stood up and worked her way out to the platform.

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Tess sat staring at the TV screen her knitting crumpled in her lap. She leaned forward and watched as Danny and Adam were bustled into waiting ambulances. Her heart squeezed as she caught a couple of glimpses of Don on scene. The report switched to the continuing drama at headquarters. Tess slumped backward.

"And you're _sure_ you want to marry him?"

Tess looked over at Bette. "I don't have a lot of choice."

"You're not married yet."

Tess gave Bette a rueful smile and shook her head. "That doesn't matter. I'm in love with him. Even if we didn't get married, I'm still wrapped up in all of that." Tess stood up and rubbed her back. "Besides, I think we all were taught a pretty big lesson on not being in control."

Peter passed by and tugged on one of Bette's braids. "Leave her be, Bette. How many times do I have to tell you our Tessie was sunk the first time she cooked for him?"

"I just wanted to point out her options one more time."

"Bette, honey, not everyone wants to live in sin like you," teased Peter from the kitchen.

Tess narrowed her eyes. "You're not…"

Bette laughed loudly. "Peter, you had better stop. Tess keeps thinking we're having a baby too."

Peter came up behind Better and hugged her. "Not a chance. Even your glowing presence hasn't changed her mind on that." Peter grinned at Tess. "Although, it's not from a lack of trying."

Tess closed her eyes and shook her head. "And on that note of too much information, I've got to go home."

"Too bad it's not just a walk upstairs," chimed Bette.

"After the wedding. After school gets out. We'll move then." Tess rubbed her temples. "What do you want me to do? Sleep on the floor?"

"Shame to be paying for an empty apartment."

"Didn't have a lot of choice. We're both too busy to move right now. I've got a wedding on Saturday. Remember?"

"Yes." Bette rolled her eyes. "Like I was going to forget? You're getting married and then heading off on your glorious two day honeymoon in…Are you really going to the Catskills?"

"Yes."

"How romantic. Old people and worn out comedians."

Peter kissed Bette's temple. "Leave her be. We can go to Vegas for our honeymoon."

"Howabout we skip the wedding part and just go to Vegas?" Bette snuggled closer to Peter.

Tess rolled her eyes. "Okay. I've really got to leave. You two are getting way too comfortable."

Bette walked over and gave Tess a hug. "I'm glad everything's gonna be OK. You give him hell for what he put your through today. I hope Danny is really alright."

"Me too. I'll fill you in tomorrow when I talk to you."

"You don't haveta do that. We've got wedding stuff to deal with." Bette squeezed Tess' hand. "Getting nervous?"

"A little, but I'll be fine. It's still all a little unreal."

"You can still…"

Tess shook her head hard. "I don't have cold feet."

Peter tugged Bette back next to him. "Would you like me to muzzle her?"

"She's not going to talk me out of anything. Don't worry, Peter." Tess grinned.

"I think it's Don who has to worry about that."

"Don has nothing to worry about." Tess countered seriously. "I'm getting married on Saturday. Right now though, I'm going home, taking a warm shower and waiting for Don to come home. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Bette."

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Light spilled from the open bedroom door into the rest of the apartment. Don paused after shutting the door. The apartment was quiet. Don kicked off his shoes and headed for the bedroom. Tess was asleep; her glasses still perched on her nose and her hand under an open book. Don chuckled softly. He sighed as exhaustion gripped him. He left Tess alone and went through his coming home routine. After he had settled things in and showered, Don quietly raided the kitchen. He ate dinner sitting alone at the table. He put his plate in the sink and headed for the bedroom. Tess hadn't moved. He picked the book up and put it on the nightstand and did the same with her glasses. Don turned out the light and slid into bed. He pulled Tess against him. She stirred. Don kissed her hair and murmured for her to go back to sleep. Tess rolled over and blinked in the darkness at him. She ran a hand down his face and neck.

"All in one piece?"

"Me?" Tess felt him shrug. "Never any doubt."

"_Liar_."

"Yer callin' me a liar?"

"Yes. I can hear it in your voice."

Don rolled Tess over and tucked her body against him. "I don't want ta talk about it."

"How's Danny?" asked Tess, changing the subject slightly.

"He's gonna look like crap for the wedding photos."

Tess sighed heavily, her throat prickling. She forced the feelings away. She didn't want Don to know how terrified today had made her. "I'm just glad he'll be there."

"You an' me both, Sweetheart." Don squeezed Tess slightly and nuzzled her hair. "You can't begin ta know how good it is ta have ya here." He twined his legs through hers. "It's so good not ta come home to an empty apartment."

"On a day like today." Tess winced. She hand meant that to pop out. She felt Don stiffen.

"Every day, Tess. But yeah, especially today."

Tess decided she might as well push farther. "How close?"

Don groaned and turned to lie on his back. "Too close, OK?" he admitted.

Tess remained on her side. She curled slightly. Her stomach clenched. The tears that had been threatening all day spilled down her cheeks. "No. Not okay at all," she whimpered.

Don quickly gathered her back into his arms. He held her tight as she sobbed. Don kissed her hair and stroked his hands up and down Tess' back. It suddenly occurred to her that his body was shuddering too. Tess quickly propped herself up and looked down at Don. His face was wet. She looked at him incredulously, her heart pounding. Tess wiped her fingers across Don's cheeks. She held his face and kissed him tenderly.

"Shhhhh," she whispered against his lips. "You're here. I'm here. We're all okay." She kissed him again then slid down and rested her head against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

Tess propped herself up again and traced her fingers feather-light over his face. "For what? It doesn't make you weak, Don."

"Even when I was in that building. When I woke up from that coma. It didn't hit me. Not like today." Tess smiled slightly. It wasn't a happy smile. Don cupped her face. "What if…"

"And there's where you stop, Don. You can't think about the 'what ifs' The minute you start doing that you'd better find a different line of work." Tess turned her head and kissed his palm. "And I can't really see you doing anything else. You'd be miserable," she teased.

"Since when do ya have yer degree in psych?"

"I don't. I just know you." Tess settled in against him. "And on Saturday I'll get the little piece of paper and the token that announces it to the world."

"Well, guess what. I consider it a little more like a learner's permit."

"Haven't figured me out yet?"

Don gave her a squeeze and kissed her hair. "Nope. And I plan to take my whole life trying."

"I'll hold you to that," mumbled Tess and she closed her eyes.

"Promise, Sweetheart?"

"Saturday. I'll promise on Saturday. Go to sleep."

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	35. All my wildest dreams came true

A/N: See the intro for the usual stuff. Please R & R. Consider it charity work.

This is complete and total fluff. Nothing very heavy in here. This is my Halloween treat for you all. Enjoy and don't call me if you go into sugar shock.

Hiatus warning: okay, Normally I don't give any warning, but this is planned. I'm participating in NaNoWriMo in November and all my writing will be focused on that for the next month. Back in December.

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Tess rolled her eyes at Bette and Stephanie dancing around the suite as she sipped her water. It was obvious by their antics that they had enjoyed the complementary champagne even if Tess couldn't. Tess' phone rang. Bette snatched it from the table before Tess reached for it. She glanced at the display before flipping it open.

Tess grabbed at the phone, but Bette danced away. "Bette, just give it to me."

Bette stuck her tongue out at Tess. "Ya can't leave her alone for jus' one night?"

"Bette, put her on the phone," grumbled Don.

"I'm sorry, your bride-to-be is resting. Enjoying her last night of freedom before she's stuck with you."

"Bette!" protested Tess, reaching for the phone. Bette moved away again.

"I need to talk to Tess," growled Don.

"No can do, Don. We are here to be without you. So, no contact." Bette waved her glass for emphasis. Tess grabbed the phone. "Hey!"

Tess ignored her, went into one of the rooms and locked the door. "Hello. I'm sorry about that."

"Not yer fault. Having fun?"

"Mm. I've gotten a very nice message, facial, had to skip the aromatherapy bath. Too warm for baby and me."

"Oh yeah. That sounds like a blast," said Don flatly.

Tess chucked at Don's tone. "Really, it was." She sighed. "The massage felt so good."

"I'm glad, Sweetheart. You deserve to be pampered a little."

"You didn't just call to see how I was did you?"

"No, I can't find…"

"That's because I packed it already."

"How did you know what I was asking for?"

"Because I realized on the way here packing your shaver wasn't the best idea. Not unless I wanted a groom with a day's growth."

Don chuckled. "Want me clean-shaven?"

"Yes! And please make sure Danny is too. None of his usual."

"What am I supposed ta do? Hold him down?"

"If you have to." Someone started pounding on the door. Tess ignored them.

"Tell Donny ta git off the phone, Tess. He monopolizes you enough!"

"I have to go. The natives are getting restless. One or both of your sisters just showed up."

"God," moaned Don. "Please promise me ya won't trash the hotel. I don't want ta haveta bail ya out."

"I won't, Mom."

"Ha ha. Seriously, Tess."

"I promise I won't. I'll see you tomorrow at four."

"I'll be the one at the front of the church in the tux."

"I think there are three of you. How will I know which is the right one?"

"I'm the good lookin' one."

"Hmmm. I think that might be debated by some people."

"Ya might be able ta say that about yer brother, but I _know_ I'm better lookin' than Danny." The pounding started again.

"Tell Donny I'm sending Mike over ta confiscate his cell phone."

"Your sister is threatening again. I really have to go. I love you and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Love ya too, Sweetheart."

Tess clicked the phone shut and opened the door. Stephanie grabbed her phone and turned it off. Bette drug her out into the room.

"What if Dad is trying to get a hold of me?" called Tess over her shoulder.

"He can call my phone."

"Come dance," begged Bette.

"Don said not to trash the place or manage to get arrested."

"My baby brother is a worry-wart."

Tess just smiled and shook her head as she joined in the dancing.

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Danny tugged at the collar of his tux shirt. Don glared at him in the mirror. Danny glared back

"What?"

"Quit yankin' on yer shirt, Messer. You look bad enough as it is without gittin' all full of wrinkles."

"Sorry that my almost gittin' killed's interferin' wit yer weddin', Flack," countered Danny sarcastically waving his wrapped hand. He tugged at the shirt again. "I think they gave me the wrong size."

"As soon as we're done takin' pictures you can unbutton it. Can ya suffer that long?"

"Yer lucky I like Tess and don't want ta upset her," said Danny finally dropping his hand. He rocked his head back and forth. "This cinches it. I ain't havin' no fancy church weddin'."

Tess' brother Adam stepped up to the mirror and smoothed out his vest front. "_We_ don't get that choice."

"Ain't nobody talkin' me into one of these again," grumbled Danny, fiddling with his deep red tie.

"I didn't know ya hand anyone askin', Messer," teased Don.

Danny rounded on him and stepped close. "Flack, ya know, if it wasn't yer weddin' I'd wipe that smirk off yer face. I'm sick of seein' it."

"Jealous, Danny?" Don's smile widened.

Danny sobered slightly and then grinned back. "I just may be. So ya ready?"

"He'd better be," grumbled Adam.

"Hey. Can ya stop the over-protective older brother routine now?" asked Don.

Adam chuckled. "Seeing you with yer sisters I think you know the answer to that."

"I'm glad yer in Boston then. Too bad it's Stephanie in Washington."

Adam scowled. "I promised Tess I wouldn't hit you again."

"He hit ya?" asked Danny looking between the two men.

"He didn't try very hard to stop me," admitted Adam. "He was playing the martyr."

"I jus' let ya ta git it over with," growled Don.

"Whatever. I promised Tess never again. Although, if you give me a good enough reason..."

"Cut it out. Geeze, Flack. I think I liked ya better all goofy. Now, unless we're tryin' for a matched set, you two had better lay off."

"Oh, I see how this is. Yer allowed to threaten me, but not Tess' brother."

"I got dibs. I've known ya longer." Don rolled his eyes at Danny. Adam just shook his head.

A knock sounded. "Guys. Time to git up there." Don looked in the mirror one more time. He smoothed his hair and ran his hands down his vest and jacket. He caught Danny grinning at him out of the corner of his eye.

"What?" he groused.

"Ya look like a kid at Christmas."

"I'm a very lucky man, Danny. Very lucky." He headed up to the church with the other two men trooping after him.

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"Last chance. Ya can still run, Tessie." Bette bustled around Tess straightening her dress and veil.

Tess glared at her. "Give it a rest, Bette."

Stephanie wrapped her arm around Bette's shoulders. "We gave it our best, Bette. Tessie's just too stubborn." Tess stuck her tongue out at Stephanie.

"You just wait, Stephie."

"You're gonna have a kid to deal with. You won't be able to pull anything over on me."

"Is that a dare, big sister?"

Stephanie flashed a superior smile. "Double dog."

"Watch your back then," countered Tess. The door to the narthex opened and Tess tried to get a peek around to see Don as her father snuck through.

"He's there waiting patiently," he father chuckled. Jozef's eyes were a little damp as he looked at Tess. "You are so beautiful, _Mezem_. Your mother would have been so proud." Tess glanced down slightly. Jozef raised her face with a finger under her chin. "Of everything." He kissed both her cheeks and settled the blusher over her face. Tess gave him a watery smile and a quick hug.

"I love you, Daddy."

Jozef chuckled again. "You aren't getting rid of me, Teresa."

Tess took the round bouquet of deep red roses from Bette with a nervous smile. Bette grinned at her.

"_Now_ yer getting cold feet," she teased, waving her smaller cream-colored rose bouquet. Tess glowered at her. Bette laughed quietly as she lined herself up behind Stephanie. Tess concentrated on their backs.

_Red and cream, red and cream, cream and red._ Tess recited the colors of their dresses and flowers like a mantra in an effort to calm her nerves. The doors to the sanctuary opened and the butterflies in Tess' stomach went into overdrive. Bette and Stephanie slowly made their way down the aisle to the front of the sanctuary. Not for the first time Tess wondered why there wasn't some short cut. After the two women arranged themselves across from the men, the music changed to the _Prince of Denmark's March_ and everyone stood and turned. Tess took as hesitant step forward. Tears threatened to spill over. Tess took a deep breath afraid she would either burst into full blown tears or get sick. _That would certainly make this a memorable occasion._ She was very grateful for her father's support as she moved forward.

Don watched Tess take a shaky step forward. _Come on, Sweetheart. You can do it_. He watched Tess and her father make their way towards him. He grinned as he watched Tess' dress swing like a bell as she walked down the aisle. He knew she had made her stole, not finding anything she liked in the stores. As the aisle straightened he finally saw her fully. His grin threatened to split his face. _Absolutely beautiful._ _Lucky, luck man._ He could barely notice the bump under her dress. The creamy color made her skin glow. He could see roses tucked in her upswept hair. _How did someone manage to get that all piled up there. What in God's name is keeping it there?_

Tess had finally slowed her breathing and was feeling less queasy when she hit the mid-point of the procession. She had kept her eyes glued on Don since entering, but at this point she could finally see him relatively clearly. Her mouth went dry. _How did I ever catch this man?_ Don had refused to give her the details of what his tux looked like, which had worried her. She shouldn't have worried. _Can a man be called beautiful? Handsome…devastatingly…heartbreakingly... handsome._ His black tux fit perfectly. The jacket ending at mid thigh and the faint chalk stripe make him look taller. The black vest and tie was elegant. Tess' lips twitched. _I never thought I'd see him with a plain black tie._ _And it's not a bow tie. I wonder if I can get him to dress like that again. Maybe we should look into buying _that_ tux._ Tess caught his eyes and her heart nearly stopped. She felt her father's hand tighten on her elbow again as she released a ragged breath. She noticed Don's grin widen slightly and she fought off the urge to giggle.

Tess and her father finally reached the front of the church. Tess gave Don one more dazzling smile before turning to her father. Jozef carefully lifted Tess' veil and brushed it back. He took both her hands and squeezed them. Tess felt the tears spill over as her father kissed both her cheeks. It didn't help that she could hear Stephanie sniffling in the background. She felt Don approach her. Jozef gave her hands one more squeeze, then turned her and place one of her hands into Don's. Tess turned from her father and looked at Don. She tried to give him a reassuring smile to wipe the concern from his eyes. Don gave a slight nod and led her up to the altar. Tess looked at her uncle, waiting to marry them. Before he let go of her hand to take his place, Don pulled Tess close and leaned down to her ear.

"I see ya decided white was a little outta line." Tess' eyes flew to his in shock. She blinked hard and broke into a broad smile. Don squeezed her hand and stepped away. Her uncle gave her a disapproving look. Tess blushed slightly and tried for a more serious face.

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Don slid the key card through the lock. Tess was about to pass him, when he blocked her path with an arm. Tess looked at him. As she stared, realization dawned on her. She shook her head.

"No. You're going to kill your back."

Don frowned. "You aren't _that_ heavy. And it's tradition." Tess rolled her eyes. Don bent and swept her up, keeping the door ajar with his hip. He grunted slightly.

"I warned you," teased Tess. Don just scowled. He bounced her once to distribute the weight properly. Don carried Tess into the hotel room and dropped her on the bed. Tess just lay there staring up at the ceiling. Don flopped down beside her and loosened his tie.

"How are you feeling?" he asked not shifting from his back.

"Tired. Very tired."

"I hear ya, Sweetheart." Don tugged Tess toward him. She shifted so that her head was plowed on his shoulder. "I suppose I've gotta help ya escape from yer dress."

Tess groaned slightly, slid off the bed and stood up. "Even if I wasn't six and a half months pregnant, I would need some help getting out of this. You can help hunt for hairpins too."

"Hmm. I was wonderin' how that all stayed up." Don didn't move. Tess looked down at him. Don propped himself up on an elbow. "That means I gotta get up."

"Unless you've developed Jedi Powers. Yes, it does." Tess turned her back to Don. "The sooner you get me out of this…"

Don stood up and kissed her bare shoulder. "The sooner we get to sleep." He unzipped Tess dress.

"You're that exhausted?" she grinned over her shoulder. Tess let the dress drop and stepped out of the puddle.

Don tugged her into his arms, her back to him. He caught her eyes in the mirror. "I'm more worried about you being too tired." He rested his hands on her belly. Tess shook her head and placed her hands over his. "Tell ya what. Let's get ready for bed and we'll see how things go." Tess nodded again, turned and kissed Don. The kiss deepened and Tess smiled wickedly at Don as he broke the kiss off.

"Whatever you say, Mr. Flack."

Don grinned down at her. "Hm. If I'd known marriage was gonna make ya so submissive, I'd have done it sooner, Mrs. Flack."

"Submissive? In your dreams."

Don chuckled. "OK, maybe that was over the top." He gave Tess a quick kiss. "Any way you think, I'm feeling a little over dressed." He undid his tie, gave Tess another quick kiss. "You are too."

Tess kissed him. "I'll join you in a minute. You child is squishing bits of my innards."

"Oh, that's sexy," said Don sarcastically.

"Welcome to our life."

Don smiled broadly. "I wouldn't trade it for anything."

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	36. It starts in my toes

A/N: Sorry that it's been forever. Thanks for hanging in. Welcome to the new readers. I hope I keep meeting all your expectations. For those who care, the usual disclaimers are in the first part.

Send a quick happy b-day vibe to Eddie Cahill, the terrific guy who brings our favorite fictional guy to life.

Enjoy.

* * *

Tess hummed as she wiped down the inside of the cabinet. She stepped off the ladder, turned and jumped, when she found Don standing in the kitchen doorway watching her. She pulled the earbuds out and dropped the cleaning cloth on the counter. Don stepped over and gave her a quick kiss. He rubbed his thumb over Tess' cheek.

"Do you think ya should be doin' that?"

"I've got the ceiling fans running and the windows open. I…we should be fine. Besides I haven't been at it for too long." Don frowned as she rubbed her back.

"So you claim." Don stepped back and looked around. "If ya don't think the place is clean enough, we could hire someone."

Tess shook her head and pulled the bandana off. "I was just killing time." Don opened his arms and Tess stepped into the embrace. She wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him. "So what made you look for me here?" she grinned up at him.

"Just a guess." Don grinned back. "I know ya've been itchin' ta git in here. Ya couldn't wait jus' one more day?"

Tess raised and eyebrow. "And how about you? Did you even go home first?"

Don returned her raised eyebrow. "Ya mean back ta the other apartment?" He shook his head. "Nah. I took a chance that ya were here. Like I said, I know ya've been antsy ta git moved in." He looked around, spotting a few boxes. "So how'd ya git this here?"

"Called a cab. Found one who took pity on the poor, pregnant lady."

"Uh-huh." He kissed the top of Tess' head. "I mean it about hiring someone ta clean. I don't want ya ta make yerself or the baby sick."

"I promise. But really, I was just doing a little bit. The cleaners really did a great job." Tess ran her fingers through the hair over Don's ear.

"Did ya have dinner yet?" Tess shook her head slightly. "Tess…," growled Don.

"I had a late lunch and a snack." Tess leaned back and grinned. "I'm out of school. I'm a woman of leisure. _I_ got to sleep in," she teased.

"Ya still gotta eat," chided Don.

"I was waiting for you."

"OK. Now that I'm here, whatdaya want ta eat? And where?"

Tess just grinned, detached herself from Don and walked over to one of the boxes. She opened it and pulled a blanket out. She unfolded it, gave it a snap and settled it in the middle of the floor. Tess turned back toward Don, smiling broadly.

"I figured we could have a picnic right here. You can call for whatever. I have some menus in my bag."

Don stepped back up to Tess. He reached out and ran his hand over her belly. "Ya sure? Doesn't look all that comfortable for ya." Tess grinned again, reached back into the box and pulled out a pillow and a long bolster. Tess laid them next to the wall to create a comfortable spot for herself. Don rolled his eyes. "OK, then." Don peered down into the box. "What else ya got in those magic boxes of yers?"

"Call for dinner and I'll show you." Don gave her a dubious look. Tess grinned. "Come on. Just call."

"Fine." Don looked at the menus Tess had shoved in her bag. He pulled out his cell phone ordered some Italian. He hung his phone back on his belt and looked around for Tess. She was back in the kitchen working on the cabinets. Don growled slightly, walked up behind her and grabbed her off the stepstool.

Tess squealed. "Don't you dare drop me!"

"Wouldn't think of it," grunted Don as he set her carefully on her feet. He glared down at her. "How come ya don't listen ta me?"

"I just wanted to finish this cabinet."

"No. It's either clean enough, Tess or we hire someone to clean in here tomorrow. Are ya clear on this?"

"Fine," grumbled Tess slightly. "I'm not made of…"

Don held up his hand to stop her. "I don't wanna hear it." He pulled her close and rubbed her back. Don kissed her hair. "I jus' don't want ya ta push yerself. Tomorrow is already gonna be a long day. I know yer not made of glass, but ya are 7 months pregnant. Let me fuss over ya a bit, OK?"

"OK. You said you wanted to see what else I snuck in here, right?"

"Maybe," answered Don, a little worry creeping into his voice. Tess just smiled and led him into the bedroom. Don's mouth fell open as he found their bed set up. "How the hell did you get that here?"

"I had more help than just a cabby." Tess pulled him further into the room. "Peter knows some guys with a truck. Big burly guys. Actually, they're going to be helping us tomorrow too."

"Ya couldn't wait until tomorrow."

Tess grinned and shook her head. "I couldn't wait until tomorrow." Tess pushed Don down on the edge of the bed. She slid her hands over his shoulders and slid his suit coat off. She loosened his tie and kissed him. "Maybe later we can test to make sure they got it set up right." Tess gave Don one more quick kiss and stepped back. "In the meantime, I also brought you a change of clothes and stuff for a shower. "Why don't you take care of that before the food gets here?" Tess started to leave.

"Tease," grumbled Don.

Tess turned around and smiled saucily. "You know you like it." She scurried off.

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The faint smell of tomato sauce and garlic greeted Don as he stepped from the bathroom. He found Tess arranging the picnic on the living room floor complete with candles. Tess looked up just as he frowned slightly at bottle and wine glasses.

"Sparkling grape juice."

"Yum," her remarked sarcastically.

"I can't win, can I?"

"Nope." Tess tossed a garlic stick at him. He caught it deftly. "Hey! The woman who was rescrubbing the apartment is now throwin' food?"

"I considered the bottle, but I didn't want to have to pick up bits of glass." She patted the blanket.

Don shook his head. "I dunno. Ya gonna quit threatenin' me?"

"Ya gonna quit bein' my father?" Tess mimicked his tone.

"Ya threaten yer dad?" Tess reached for another garlic stick. Don held up his hands and shook his head. "Ok. I give." Don dropped down on the blanket. He picked up the wine glass and tasted it. He grimaced. "I'd rather have a beer."

"There's beer in the fridge." Don looked longingly at the kitchen. "It's really for paying the guys tomorrow. Peter promised Jake and Woody beer and homemade food."

Don stopped mid-bite. "If yer cookin' here how ya gonna keep track of what's goin' on back at the other apartment?"

"I'm not going to be cooking here." Tess chewed and swallowed. "I'll just getting things started and Bette will keep track of it here."

"Mmm-hmm."

Tess laughed and shook her head. "Are you implying that I'm a control freak, Mr. Flack?"

"Completely." Tess frowned suddenly and shifted. Don set down his fork and glowered. "I knew this wasn't a good idea."

"I'm fine." Tess rolled her eyes and rubbed her side. "I think this kid's gonna play hockey. Keeps putting shoulders into my ribs." Don grinned and went back to eating. "Oh sure, are you gonna keep grinning when your little girl is getting thrown into the boards?"

"You think it's gonna be a girl?"

"Or a boy. One of those is guaranteed."

"Oh, very funny," grumbled Don. He looked over at Tess who was just picking at her food. "Not hungry? Should I have ordered something' else?"

"No. I'm just very tired suddenly."

"Gee, I wonder why?" He waved his fork at Tess. "Draggin' stuff over here. Gettin' the bed all set up. Cleanin' cupboards. No reason to be tired."

"Such a comedian."

"If yer tired, go lay down. I'll clean this all up."

Tess yawned. "I'm sorry. This wasn't the way I planned things to go tonight."

"Don't worry about that, Sweetheart." Don stood up. He reached out and helped Tess up, pulling her into his arms. He rocked her back and forth. Tess buried her face in Don's t-shirt. Don rested his cheek on Tess' hair, breathing in her scent. He felt her relaxing against him. "Come on, Tess. Ya need ta lay down." He led her to the bedroom and got her settled into the bed. Tess grabbed his hand as he started to leave.

"Lay down for a bit with me. The food will be okay."

Don smiled at her softly. He climbed onto the bed and slid down next to Tess. Tess rolled on her side and rested her head on Don's shoulder. Don stroked Tess' hair absently. He felt her relax and her breathing become slow and steady. He kept running his fingers over her hair. He felt a little ripple against his side. He grinned carefully shifted and ran his hand over Tess' rounded belly.

"What? Do ya want some attention? Not even out here yet an' already tryin' ta git yer share. Is that why ya keep bangin' up yer mom?" Don stared at his hand running back and forth. "Is that it? Ya jealous of me? Tough luck. Yer stuck with me. And ya might not really believe it all the time, but ya wouldn't want it different. Not really." He pressed down gently and was rewarded with a slight pressure back. He grinned. "You jus' remember that when ya think I'm a pain in yer ass." He carefully slid out of the bed. Don paused at the door and looked back at Tess sleeping peacefully. He smiled and shook his head, still not quite believing what had brought him here.


	37. Cause these are the good old days

A/N: See chapter 1 for the disclaimer stuff. If I really owned them, Don would be back in suits. I miss his suits and aweful ties. Not that he isn't hot in regular clothes too.

Anyhow, I meant to have this done sooner. I was fighting with my muse. I was trying to write the part that should and will come next, but she insisted in squeezing this first.

Enjoy, R&R. A huge thank you to all who do. The dry stats make me happy, but hearing from people out there makes me even happier. Please make me happier. As always, thank you and hugs to all who reads this.

* * *

"Can't believe you're still workin'. Doesn't Tess want ya home?" Danny greeted Don with a grin.

Don finished paying the hot dog vendor and gave an answering grin. "I tried stayin' home. She ran me out. Wouldn't even let me take her ta the doctor's." Don shrugged and took a bite of his dog. He chewed blissfully. He swallowed and shrugged again. "'Sides I want time to spend with the kid after. No sense in wastin' it now."

"An' what happens when yer out onna call and she buzzes ya and says it's time. Tess'll kill ya if ya miss the birth."

Don's face fell slightly. "I don't think we're gonna have ta worry about that. The kid shows no signs of wantin' ta come out."

"Nothin'?"

Don shook his head. "So says Tess."

"Wasn't she like due a week ago or somethin'?"

Don smirked and cocked an eyebrow. "What's up wit ya knowin' my wife's due date, Messer?"

"I dunno. Maybe you not bein' able ta shudup 'bout it?" growled Danny defensively. Danny turned his back on his friend and ordered his own lunch. They ate silently for a bit. "What's this mean for the hoops tournament this weekend?"

"I dunno? It was always kinda iffy anyhow."

"Now, waydaminit. I was there when you were askin' Tiger Girl permission ta sign up. She gave her blessin'."

"I didn't ask Tess' permission," grumbled Don, his face growing dark.

"Oh yes, ya did," chortled Danny. "Come on, Sweetheart, I do this tourney every year," he mocked in a whiny voice. "You were worried she'd be pissed."

"Well, if things had gone right, she woulda jus' been outta the hospital."

"And she looked at ya like ya were crazy. Not because ya wanted ta go, but because ya were askin' permission."

Don wadded up his hot dog wrapper and threw it violently into the trash. He rounded on Danny, forehead creased, eyes blazing. Danny took a step back.

"God, Danny. Ya…jus'…don't…get…it. This is a kid. Not just some toy or somethin' that ya get and dump somewhere when yer bored and have somethin' else ta do. This is gonna change my life, Danny. It's already changed my life. Yeah, I might wanna know if my wife would prefer me ta spend time wit' her and our newborn insteada playin' ina basketball game." Danny just stood there and waited for Don to run out of steam. He calmly munched on his hot dog. Don glared at him. "No smart answer?" Danny finished his dog and tossed his trash.

"Get some sleep and lay off the caffeine," he commented mildly.

"That's it? That's all ya got?"

Danny shrugged. "I already got my head bit off."

Don's anger evaporated He shook his head. "Sorry, Messer."

Danny chuckled. "Hey, better ya take my head off then blow up at Tiger Girl. She as touchy as you?"

"No. Actually, she's too quiet. I think she's blaming herself for the baby not being here yet. Which is nuts, of course." Don paused a minute and smiled slightly. "And she's gone crazy cleaning...and cooking. Our freezer is almost full. Fridge too."

"Hey, if you need some place for the overflow, I can take it off yer hands. Tess is a great cook," grinned Danny, eyes sparkling.

Don frowned. "Get Monroe ta cook for ya. Yer not gonna scam food offa me."

"Hey, you were the one complainin' you were runnin' outta room. I was jus' tryin' ta help ya out."

"Uh-huh. Quit bein' so helpful, Messer." Both of their phones buzzed. Don flipped his open and took the call. He looked over at Danny as he hung up. "Sheep Meadow?" Danny nodded. "I guess I'll meet up wit' ya again in a few."

"Looks like. At least we got lunch in." The two men headed off.

* * *

A spicy aroma assaulted Don as he came through the door. He paused, took a deep breath and closed his eyes, just savoring. He went into the kitchen and found Tess stirring something on the stove. Don came up and wrapped his arms around her. Tess leaned back against him. Don ran his hands over her belly and smiled as he felt an answering ripple.

"Somebody's awake."

"But with no intention of vacating anytime soon." Tess sighed heavily, straightened and went back to stirring the pot on the stove.

"Doctor didn't have good news?"

Tess sighed again. "No. If I don't go this weekend, he wants to induce on Monday." Her voice got very quiet at the end.

"Induce?" Don unconsciously squeezed her. He felt a slight panic at her words, but tried to keep it out if his voice. "How do you feel about that?"

Tess stood still for several heartbeats. He felt her slouch slightly. "I don't know. I know I'm tired of being huge and heavy. I know that we got everything as ready as it's going to be." Her face crumpled slightly. "It's just not what I was planning on." Don could hear a slight whimper in Tess' voice.

"Which is about par for the course, Sweetheart." Don kissed the top of her head. "We've got a few days. Maybe we can still convince junior to join us."

Tess turned in Don's arms. She bent and leaned her head on his chest. She squeezed him and tilted her face up. "He'd be the third. Besides I thought you didn't want a son named after you."

"If we have a boy, no. I don't. But we could have a girl." He peered down at Tess. "Unless you know something I don't."

"No," grinned Tess. "We decided to wait for the surprise." Tess' eyes twinkled. "You know a girl name Donald is going to get teased."

Don rolled his eyes and grinned back. "Oh, very funny." He pulled Tess close and rocked her back and forth. "So, Monday?"

"Or sooner." Tess lightly touched his face. "We've gotten an extra week already." She snuggled back against him.

"I know." Don couldn't keep the nervous tremor out of his voice. He shook his head.

"Still a little overwhelming."

"Yeah." He pulled back a little so he could see Tess' belly. A smaller bulge appeared and ran the along the top of it. Tess winced slightly. Don shook his head again. "I still can't get used to that," he said incredulously.

"Think about how it feels from my side."

Don rubbed where the baby had just been pushing out. "You keep saying it doesn't hurt."

Tess flashed him a reassuring smile. "It doesn't really." Tess sighed, knowing she couldn't explain the feeling properly. "I mean it does hurt a little, but it's a good kind of hurt."

Don raised a doubtful eyebrow. "Sure…" He looked around the kitchen. There were pots and packages everywhere. "You've been busy again. Feeding an army?"

Tess followed his gaze. She blushed slightly. "I got a little carried away. I think I'm starting to fill Bette and Peter's freezer." Tess shrugged. "But it's not like we won't eat it. Or Bette and Peter. Besides, how much cooking do you think I'm doing right after the baby comes?"

Don kissed her nose. "That's what take out is for."

"I don't think so." Tess stepped away and planted a fist on her hip. "And you think take out is better than my cooking?" Tess' eyes flashed angrily.

Don put up a hand in defense and shook his head hard. "No way, Sweetheart. I am very lucky to have a wife who likes to cook." He grinned at her. "Especially since I love ta eat." Don peered over Tess shoulder at the bubbling pot. "Any chance of gettin' some of that ta eat right now?" His question was punctuated by a growling stomach.

Tess laughed and shook her head. "Sure. Wouldn't want you to waste away. Grab some plates, please." Don set the table as Tess put together a salad and cut some thick slices of bread. Don put those on the table. As Tess waddled to the table to dish up the stew, Don tried to take the pot from her. Tess refused to hand it over. "I can handle this. You can take care of me and the baby later. I'm not going to wear you out before."

Don flopped down in his chair. "Fine. Handle it then." He shook his head as Tess carefully made her way around the table, filled the plates and headed back to the kitchen. He watched as Tess slowly lowered herself in to her chair and scooted forward. "Yer so stubborn." Tess ignored him. She stuck a forkful in her mouth, closed her eyes and savored. Don frowned at her, but then dug into his stew. He swallowed, eyes watering. "This is hot."

Tess opened her eyes and grinned at him. "_Porkolt_." She took another bite. "There are green chilies in it." She waved her spoon and rocked her head. "Not quite the same as back home. For one thing we should have _trahonya_, but I didn't make any up. And I didn't feel like heading out to the green market or tromping down to Yorkville for wax peppers."

Don waved his fork at Tess. "I'll bet if ya'd called down there, ya could've sweet talked Stevie Kovacs into bringing a jar up here."

Tess rolled her eyes and slowly chewed. She glanced down at her stew and back up Don. "Actually, ever since you came into the store with me, Stevie hasn't been quite so friendly." Don snorted. Tess scowled. "Hey, I was getting really good deals from Stevie."

"I think eventually the fact that yer pregnant might have clued him in that you were taken." Tess shrugged. Don looked at her in shocked awe. "You were gonna keep stringin' him along?"

"Don't give me that look," griped Tess. "You've never flirted with a woman to get something you wanted?" Don started to open his mouth. "I mean besides a date or into her bed. Please. Don't even. And don't tell me you don't any more, either. Do you think I'm that stupid?"

"Ya think I'm that shallow?" Don stared at Tess. "You, my pregnant wife, think that I go around…"

"Don, I'm not trying to question your honor or anything. I know you would never follow through on it. But you aren't seriously going to try and convince me that if you think it would help an investigation that you have not and will not indulge in some harmless flirting?" Don looked away and didn't answer her. Tess took another bite of stew. She pointed her fork at Don, punctuating her words. "It had better never be more than harmless flirting and if you ever do it in front of me..." Tess paused and pushed the contents of her plate around. She watched the juice seem around the pieces of meat. "I _do_ already have a child." Don choked slightly. Tess looked over and grinned mischievously at him. Laughter bubbled up as she watched the emotions flit across his face.

"Ha ha," he grumbled. "Ya give me permission ta flirt in one breath and in the next ya threaten to cut off…."

Tess interrupted. "Oh, let's be _very_ clear. I _was not_ giving you permission. I just told you that I could understand if you did." Tess looked down again. "And I never said that…"

Don raised an eyebrow. "Ya pointed out ya've already got a kid."

"Technically, that is a statement of fact, not a threat," countered Tess with an innocent look.

"A statement of fact?" Don shook his head grinning slightly. He looked up at Tess, eyes sparkling. "I'm not gonna win this am I?"

Tess grinned broadly. "No." They ate silently for a while. Don cleared his throat. Tess looked up inquiringly.

"So if the doctor induces ya, how's that gonna work?"

"Did you read _any_ of the stuff I gave you last week?" Don wouldn't meet her eyes. Tess sighed and set down her spoon. "And you're waiting until now to ask me about everything." Tess took a drink of water. She picked up her spoon and started to pick at her stew again. "I don't eat anything after midnight Sunday night. We go in at about six on Monday morning…"

"Six am? Yer kiddin'?"

Tess paused and sighed again. "I wish." She rubbed her temples. "We register at Triage..."

"Triage?"

Tess' lips twitched at the sharp note in Don's voice. "I told you you missed a lot when you skipped the tour."

"I didn't exactly _skip_ the tour," grumbled Don. He scraped the last of the _porkolt_ up and ate it.

Tess looked at Don's plate. "You want some more?" She started to get up.

"I can get it." He grabbed Tess' plate too and headed off. "So, we haveta be at Triage at 6am?" he called from the kitchen.

"Yes. I get admitted. We get tagged. They'll take me to an LDR room…" Don set a filled plate back in front of her. "Thank you."

"LDR room?"

"Labor, delivery, recovery. Our home away from home." Don shot her a doubtful look. "Actually, they're really nice. Private bathroom, shower, TV, telephone. Remember no cell phones in the hospital."

"Whaddaya mean no cell phones?"

Tess tilted her head to the side and spoke very slowly. "You cannot have your cell phone on in the hospital. They provide a telephone. You still know how those work, don't you? You pick up the headset, push the buttons…"

"Ha ha ha. Like yer not gonna feel funny without yer cell."

"Doesn't matter, they're not allowed. Once I'm settled in the LDR room, the doctor comes in and gives me a shot of Pitocin and apply Prepodil…"

"Apply…" Don shook his head. "Nevermind. I probably don't really want to know. I'll find out soon enough."

Tess grinned, but didn't enlighten him. "After that, hopefully, things progress quickly." Tess stirred her _porkolt_.

"Ya mean the screaming and pain part."

"Yes, the screaming and the pain part." Tess rolled her eyes. "However, I plan on using drugs…" Tess shook her head. "Don't even think about saying something. I have gotten enough grief from the natural child birth contingent."

"I hope it goes quick too," said Don softly. Tess' head shot up and she smiled at him. Don smiled back.

"Thanks." Tess took a couple bites of stew. "After the baby arrives, he or she heads down to get cleaned up and get some tests; I get cleaned up and moved down to a post partum room. Hopefully, I'll get a decent roommate, I've heard horror stories. But I'm not paying $400 each night for a private room."

Don made a choking noise. "$400? Just for a room by yerself?"

Tess' lips twitched. "Like I said, hopefully I get a decent roommate. Besides, it's only for a couple of days. We can survive that."

"Then the real fun begins."

Tess laughed. "Yep. Then the real fun begins."


	38. Don't need to teach a seed to grow

A/N: I don't really have any excuses, just that I'm back now for awhile at least. Well, Tess' Tigers are set to battle the Evil Pinstripe Empire starting tomorrow night, just like five years ago when I wrote the first part of this series. We're hoping for the same outcome, but with a World Series win after taking down the Yankees. Fingers crossed.

Hope you enjoy and please R&R. Thanks!

* * *

"Don." Tess shook Don's shoulder. He groggily opened his eyes and blinked at her.

"What?" he grumbled.

"Get up."

"Why?" he mumbled sleepily. He closed his eyes again and tried to roll over. Tess punched him in the shoulder. He rolled back. "Hey, that hurts."

"I'm going to show you hurt in a minute," growled Tess. "Get up and get dressed. _Now_."

Suddenly Don's eyes snapped completely open. He sat straight up. "Ya mean, you're havin' the baby now?"

Tess grimaced at him. "I'm not really feeling strong contractions, but my water broke."

Don swung his legs out of the bed. He turned toward Tess and frowned slightly. "Are ya sure?" Tess looked at Don incredulously. She shoved the arm he was bracing with and he fell to the bed. He instantly sat back up shaking his hand. "Yuck."

"Yes…I...am...sure."

"In the _bed_, Tess?" he whined.

"It's amniotic fluid. It's sterile. It will dry. I will get someone to change the sheets." Tess ground out between clenched teeth. "Now screw your head on straight. Get dressed and drive me to the hospital."

Don nodded and slid out of bed. "I'm movin'. Ya ready?"

"As I'm going to be," replied Tess. Don reached out and squeezed Tess' hand.

"It'll be alright."

"Easy for you to say."

"Yer right." Don kissed Tess' knuckles. "It is easy for me ta say. I promise you can beat me up all ya want, if it makes ya feel any better."

"You may be sorry you said that," grimaced Tess as a wave of pain gripped her.

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Don glanced at the clock on the wall as he waited for the elevator. _12:30._ He calculated in his head_. Tess's been at this for…Well, if you start from where she woke me up… eight and a half hours._ Don wiped a hand over his face_. And little progress. I dunno know if I'm gonna make it. Now every time a contraction hits and those tears trickle outta the corners of her eyes._ Don grimaced. _And ya ran away, ya coward. Can stare down a gun, but when yer wife needs ya…_ The elevator arrived. He got in, punched the floor button and settled toward the back. Don closed his eyes. He sighed heavily. The car finally stopped on his floor.

Don walked down the hall. He could hear Tess talking. She sounded calmer, almost happy. He walked into the room and Bette was sitting next to Tess chatting away. Bette gave him a nasty look.

"And where have _you_ been?" she accosted.

"I kicked him out. Leave him alone, Bette." Tess smiled at Don. He sat down on the opposite side of the bed and glared at Bette.

He looked back at Tess. "Yer looking better." Don picked up Tess' hand, squeezed and kissed it.

Tess gave him a slightly loopy smile. "I finally got drugs. I don't feel like the kiddo is trying to claw their way out. Much, much better. And look. Bette finally made it here." Tess winced slightly and squeezed Don's hand. The fetal monitor whirred and spit out a length of paper.

"Any other news?"

Tess frowned and shook her head. "Same effacement, same dilation." Tess bit her lip. "Everybody says not to worry. This is common. Yadda, yadda."

Bette stroked her hand. "Shhhh. It's okay. Yer doin' fine."

"But I wanna be done." Don looked at Tess helplessly. Bette massaged Tess' hand.

"I know, Tessie. But ya can't rush things. Your baby's gonna come only as fast as they want to." Bette calmly talked as she rubbed Tess' temples. "Close yer eyes for a bit and rest. You'll feel better and you'll be ready for later." Bette glanced over at Don. "You close yer eyes for a bit too. Relax. Yer doin' no good getting as wound up as you are."

"And yer an expert how?"

"I'm not. Use yer head though. Gettin' all crazy ain't gonna help anythin'," snapped Bette.

Tess' eyes opened. "Neither will you two harping at each other." She closed her eyes again.

"Sorry." They both mumbled. Bette and Don scowled at each other.

"Quit making faces. How old are you two?"

Bette giggled. "She's already got a mother's sixth sense."

"I have a teacher's sixth sense." Tess' eyes opened slightly. "Besides, I know both of you too well." Tess winced. "I am so tired."

Don squeezed her hand. "I know, Sweetheart."

"Liar. You haven't a clue." Tess sighed. "Daddy called. His flight got in and he's headed to the hotel. He said to call him when the baby is here and he'd head over."

"Yer sure you don't want him here, Tess?"

Tess shook her head and kept her eyes closed. "No. I love my father, but…If it was Mama…Don, I want my mother."

Don gathered Tess into his arms and rocked her. Tess' body shook with sobs. "Oh, Sweetheart." He held her close and kissed her hair. Bette rubbed slow circles over her back. "She would be so proud of ya, Tess." Tess sat up and looked at Don. The love in his eyes brought a fresh wave of tears. Tess ground her fists into her eyes to wipe them away.

"I'm sorry." Tess cupped Don's face and just stared at him. She smiled slightly and he grinned back.

Bette cleared her throat. "Tessie, have you forgotten the terrible pain you're goin' through right now because of this man?"

Tess burst out laughing and punched Bette lightly in the shoulder. She smiled at Don again.

"Good thing I'm in love with him then."

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	39. Life is like a gift they say

A/N: So the game was suspended. Tigers v. Yankees continued tomorrow. Instead we have another chapter. Hope you enjoy. What would make me happy would be you clicking that button at the bottom and sending me a little review. Completely painless on your part. Thanks!

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Tess winced sharply and the fetal monitor spit out another length of paper. Tess looked over at Don a little worried.

"It shouldn't slow down like that, should it?"

"What shouldn't slow down?"

"The beeping." Tess tugged at her braid. "The epidural is wearing off. I can feel the contractions again and the beeping slows down when I have one." Tess looked from the fetal monitor to Don and back again. "The beeping shouldn't slow down."

"Do you want me to call somebody?" Tess looked around the room. No one else was there. Bette had left a couple of hours before when Tess had dozed off.

"I don't know. I just don't think it should be doing that."

"Lemme call a nurse and she can check. OK?" Tess nodded. "Everything's gonna be fine." Tess nodded again eyes wide. Don reached for the call button and pushed it.

"Yes? What can I help you with?"

"My wife's a little worried about the monitor thing. The one keepin' track of the baby's heartbeat."

"Someone will be right there to check on it, Mr. Flack."

"Um. Thanks." Don sat there rubbing Tess' hand. Another contraction passed. Don listened to the monitor. He could hear the beeping slow too. He tried to give Tess a reassuring smile. Tess rolled her eyes.

"Nice try, Don. Just have to wait for someone…" A nurse came in pushing a computer cart.

"Hey, Mrs. Flack. Still here and no baby, eh?" Don rolled his eyes and Tess squeezed his hand. The nurse looked at the various papers and monitors. She checked the computer and typed a couple of things in. She turned toward Tess and smiled. "I'll be right back. Just sit tight." She disappeared.

"As if ya were gonna go somewhere," grumbled Don. Tess snorted.

The nurse came back with a doctor in tow. The doctor ignored Tess and Don as she looked over the monitor tape, checked the computer and consulted with the nurse. They kept their voices low and their heads close together. Don shifted restlessly in his seat and Tess squeezed his hand gently. The doctor finally looked over at the two and smiled slightly. She moved to the end of Tess' bed.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Bloom. I'm on duty for this shift. I just need to check your dilation, Mrs. Flack."

Tess sighed slightly. "Go ahead." She scooted down into position with her knees up and apart.

The doctor looked up as he started to flip the sheet up. "Getting tired?"

"A little, I guess," replied Tess. She grimaced as the doctor poked around and pressed on her abdomen. She stood up patted Tess' knee. Tess took the cue to scoot back and the doctor smoothed out the sheets. She smiled again at both of them, but said nothing as she went back to the computer. She looked over Tess' charts for a few more minutes. Finally, she turned around and looked seriously at Tess and Don. She fiddled with the pen in her fingers and cleared her throat. Tess glanced over at Don who was trying very hard not to snap at the doctor. The longer she delayed, the more Tess' apprehension grew.

"Mr. and Mrs. Flack, your baby is fine."

"But…" prompted Tess.

"I'm afraid Mrs. Flack that you've ceased to progress."

Don scowled. "What does that mean?"

"It means that even though your wife is continuing to have contractions, she hasn't been dilating or effacing further."

"Okay," mumbled Tess processing what the doctor said.

"Your baby is starting to show signs of early distress."

Tess blinked slowly and looked over at Don, then back at the doctor. "So it wasn't my imagination that the heartbeat was slowing down."

"No. The heartbeat has slowed significantly with your last several contractions. The best option for your baby would be to do a Cesarian."

"You mean cut me open?" squeaked Tess. She glanced frantically over at Don. Shock and a little fear were mirrored in his face.

"We could try to give you something to try to increase contractions, but it most likely would just delay a Cesarian."

"Which would be bad for the baby?" asked Don. Tess' fingernails dug into his hand, but he ignored the pain. Tess had her eyes squeezed shut and was mumbling prayers under her breath.

"It could be." He looked from Don to Tess. "Do you want me to step out for a few minutes while you discuss this?" Don nodded and the doctor and nurse left.

Don reached over and brushed his fingers over Tess' face. "Sweetheart. Open yer eyes and talk ta me."

Tess opened her eyes. They were watery and turning pink. "I'm scared."

"I know." Don pulled Tess against him and rubbed her back. "I'm scared too. We have to think about what's best…" Don felt Tess' stiffen with a contraction. The beeping of the monitor slowed.

Tess stared at it as the tape spit out. She pulled back and rubbed at her eyes. "I guess we don't have much choice. I mean…I can't…" Tess bit her lip and tears spilled down her face. She took several deep breaths to calm herself again. "You'll go in there with me right?"

"Do ya want me too?" Tess nodded. Don kissed her knuckles. "Then I'm there. If they'll let me."

Tess' eyes widened in panic. "I don't want to be in the operating room alone." She clutched at Don's hand. "They gotta let you come in with me."

Don reached out and rubbed the tears off Tess' cheek. "We have ta do what the doctors tell us. But believe me if they try ta keep me outta there I'll raise sucha stink they'll think twice." He tried to smile reassuringly. "Can I call the doctor now?"

"Putting it off won't make it go away, will it?" Tess pointed out quietly. Don shook his head and pushed the call button.

"Just a minute, Mrs. Flack."

It seemed like hours before the nurse came in with a clipboard. She smiled at Tess. Tess just looked at her with fear-filled eyes.

"We…" she looked over at Don, then back at the nurse. "I guess I have to have a c-section."

The nurse nodded and handed Tess the clipboard. "These are the information sheets on a Cesarian section and the consent forms for surgery. We will be setting up and operating room and staff. I'll be back in a little while to prep you."

Tess looked up from the clipboard. "My husband can come in right?

"If you two wish, yes." She looked over at Don. "I'll bring you and outfit to pull over your clothes. Ya can stay with yer wife as long as you follow directions and it doesn't become an extreme emergency situation." Don nodded. "If at anytime ya feel faint or ill, please exit quickly and carefully. We're in there for your wife and child, not to treat you."

Don nodded again. "Got it."

"Just making sure." She looked back at Tess and smiled. "I'll be back as soon as I can get a status on the OR. Then we'll prep ya and in you go." The nurse bustled from the room.

"Yipee," mumbled Tess. She lay back and looked up at the ceiling. "Why should this surprise me? It's not like anything about this baby has gone according to any plan."

"As if anything does, Sweetheart." Don reached over and turned Tess' face towards him. "Ya know 'best laid plans of mice and men' and all that."

Tess smiled slightly. "Do you know the whole line?"

Don frowned. "Whattdaya mean?" He thought for a minute. "Ya mean 'The best laid plans of mice and men, go often awry?'" He grinned at Tess. "Yeah, I paid some attention in high school English." His grin widened. "Or maybe yer jus' rubbin' off on me."

Tess smiled slightly. "I won't let anyone down at the station know. And the whole quote goes, 'The best laid schemes of mice and men, go often askew, and leave us nothing but grief and pain, for promised joy!'"

"See? Jus' goes ta show planning gets ya nowhere." Don kissed Tess softly. He leaned his forehead against hers. "And leave it ta you ta turn this into a teaching moment."

Tess smiled slightly. "Can't help it."

"That's why I'm smarter than when I met ya," teased Don.

Tess snorted. "As if you were stupid to begin with." They broke apart as the nurse came back in. She was pushing a small cart. She handed Don a pile of paper clothes.

"These go right over your clothes. You can put 'em on after we take yer wife ta the operating room. We have a little gettin' ready to do in there before we take ya in, Mr. Flack."

Don glanced at Tess and saw the panic flare in her eyes. He squeezed her hand. "It'll be okay, Sweetheart. I'll be there as soon as I can." Tess just nodded.

"Mrs. Flack, you'll have ta leave yer glasses here. There will be a curtain at yer chest, so you won't be able ta see anything anyway." The nurse looked back at Don. "Will you be cutting the cord, Mr. Flack?"

"I guess."

The nurse smiled at the uncertainty in his voice. "You can change your mind when you're in there. It can be…a bit overwhelming." Two more people came into the room. "Well, Transport is here. Time ta go."

Don smoothed a strand of hair from Tess' forehead. "I'll see ya soon, Sweetheart. He kissed her knuckles and squeezed her hand. "Yer the strongest woman I know." Tess rolled her eyes at him. Don grinned. "OK, too much. Howabout, you'll be gettin' some really good drugs and won't feel a thing?"

Tess smiled slightly. "That'd be more like it."

Don squeezed her hand again. "Almost done now."

"Except for the 8 weeks of recovery from abdominal surgery and the lifetime with a kid." Tess's lips twisted slightly. "How do you feel about only children?"

Don laughed and dropped Tess' hand. "I'll be in there soon."

"You'd better, or I'll find someone to drag you in." Tess nodded and the orderlies started to push her bed away. Don stood there and watched her being wheeled away. When she was turned around the corner, he took several deep breaths and started to pull on the paper clothing.

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Tess listened as the scrub nurse inventoried all of the equipment with the operating nurse. She lay staring at the bright, white ceiling, trying to empty her mind and not concentrate too much on what all of the tools were going to be used for.

_For the good of the baby. For the good of the baby. All over soon. All over soon. Hail Mary, Full of Grace…_ Tess wasn't overly religious, but reciting the prayers was comforting. She focused on breathing slowly, her lips moving silently. Tess' eyes snapped open at a touch on her shoulder.

"Hello, Tess. It's Dr. Bloom. Just a couple more things and we'll get your husband in here and have that baby. OK?"

"Like there's a choice?"

Dr. Bloom's eyes crinkled above the mask. "I guess not. Can't stay in there forever." Dr. Bloom moved below the screen sheet at Tess' chest. Someone else appeared at her shoulder. Don's blue eyes looked down over the surgical mask. He squeezed Tess' shoulder.

"Hiya, Sweetheart."

Tess tried to smile. "Almost over."

"Just beginning." Don tried to tune out what the doctor and nurses were up to on the other side of the divider. He focused on Tess. "So can ya actually see anything? Or is my face pretty much a blur?

"Well, mostly it's this big white blob." Tess tries to raise her hand to touch his cheek before remembering it was strapped to part of the operating table.

"Mrs. Flack, ma'am. Could you please not pull on your arm?" A nurse touched her arm lightly.

Tess looked down toward the medical team. "Sorry." She watched the blurry movement for a bit feeling very detached, like everything was happening to someone else.

Don touched her cheek to draw her attention back to him. "So I was playing some ball with Danny a couple of days ago..."

"If your idea of distraction is a story about you and Danny trash talking and waving 'em around..."

"Wavin' 'em around? Where did ya learn ta talk like that? Is that any way for a school teacher to talk?"

"Have you ever listened to the kids I teach?"

Don's eyes crinkled. "Well, please don't go talkin' that way around my baby."

"Your baby? Not just yours."

"Yer right. Our baby. Mine and yours." Don touched her face again. His eyes were damp. Tess wanted to reach up and wrap her arms around him.

There was a flurry of movement beyond the curtain. Don looked over to see what was going on. His stomach gave a little lurch.

"Ah. So that's what your problem is. You got all turned around. Time to join your parents." Don watched the doctor lift the baby out. Little limbs thrashed A sharp cry burst out. The doctor carefully lifted the baby up a little higher and turned him toward Don and Tess. "Congratulations. Say hello to your baby boy." Tess and Don looked at each other, grinning ear to ear. "Mr. Flack, do you want to cut the cord?"

Don glanced at the baby and back at Tess and then at the baby again. "Um. Sure." Don moved down and cut where the nurse indicated. She took the baby, cleaned him up, took a couple of notations, wrapped him up and held him out to Don.

"Why don't you go show him to your wife while they get her fixed up again?"

Don wiped his hands on his paper scrubs and held them out for the baby. He took the small bundle from the nurse and went back by Tess' head. He lowered the baby down where Tess could see him. She turned her head and smiled.

"Hello, little guy. You sure didn't want to come out did you?" Tess frowned slightly as she remembered she couldn't move her arms. "You've got those eyes squeezed pretty tightly shut. Too much light out here?" The baby gave a little whimper. "I agree. It's really too bright. We don't get a vote. The doctors and nurses need to see what they're doing. I promise the whole world isn't like this." Tess looked toward the divider. "Um. I don't think I should be feeling that."

The nurse looked up. "What are you feeling?"

"It hurts." She frowned. "I shouldn't be able to feel the doctor stitching..." The nurse had already added something to Tess' IV. She looked blankly forward for a second and then closed her eyes.

"OK, Mr. Flack. Why don't I take the little guy for a bit? We'll run some tests and by the time Mrs. Flack is back in her room, he'll be ready to join you two." She smiled at Don as she set the baby carefully into a bassinet. She let Don to a door. "You can go out here and get changed. You might want to go and grab a bite to eat. It'll be a bit before Mrs. Flack and your son are back to their room." Don allowed her to direct him out of the operating room. "Congratulation, Mr. Flack. He's a beautiful baby."

"Thanks," grinned Don.


	40. Things just work out after all

A/N: My dear muse, Perdita hasn't wandered off, so I have another chapter. I know there are a bunch of you out there reading. Please review too. Thanks.

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Tess slowly opened her eyes. She blinked a few times trying to get her bearings. The room was not as bright. The crew was gone, Don was gone, the baby was gone. The bed had both rails up and blankets padding both rails. Tess realized she was out of the operating room and in a recovery area.

"Welcome back, Mrs. Flack. How are you feeling?" Yet another nurse smiled down at her.

"Cold?"

"Completely understandable. I'll get you another blanket." Tess felt a very warm blanket being tucked around her. "Better?" Tess nodded. "You'll be here a few more minutes and then we'll take ya back to your room. Yer baby will be there a little while after you. He's in the nursery right now getting his first set of vitals taken and a few other tests." Tess just nodded again and closed her eyes.

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Tess opened her eyes again as she was being wheeled down the hall in a bed. The transporters pushed her up next to a bed with a view out the window. The other bed in the room was empty. Tess felt relieved. She didn't really want a roommate right now. They dropped the side of the bed.

"Hiya, Mrs. Flack. I'm Linda. I'm your nurse until 7pm. We need to get ya into yer bed now. Can ya scoot over or do you need some help?"

Tess concentrated hard, wrinkles etched into her forehead. She shook her head. "I can't get my legs to move."

"That's quite alright. A spinal block will do that to a body." She nodded at the transporter. "We'll get ya all settled." The nurse and the transporter carefully slid Tess from one bed to the other. Linda raised the rail as the transporter wheeled the other bed out of the room. She turned back to Tess. "Now, are you hungry?"

"Yes. Actually pretty hungry."

Linda smiled. "Well, the good news is that I can order ya something ta eat. Bad news is yer on clear liquids until the doctor clears you."

"Clear liquids?" Tess looked crestfallen. Don walked in. He took one look at Tess and panic bloomed inside him. He looked for the baby.

"Everything OK?"

Tess saw his face and gave him a reassuring smile. "Everything is fine. Except that I'm on a liquid diet." Linda nodded at her and headed out.

"Oh, is that all."

Tess rolled her eyes. "Is that all? That sucks." Don chuckled. "Thanks for the sympathy. Don't forget I just got cut open and had your kid extracted."

Don sat down. "I'm sorry." He picked up her hand. "I shouldn't laugh. I know how much this sucks. I've been there." He squeezed her hand. "I promise as soon as you can have real food, I'll bring you the biggest plate of chicken paprikash."

Tess smiled slightly. "It won't be as good as mine." She saw movement in the doorway and grinned as a nurse wheeled a bassinet into the room. She squeezed Don's hand hard. "Look who's back to join us."

"Yes. Somebody wants to see his mommy," smiled the nurse. "I'm Emily. I'm your son's nurse until 7pm."

Don huffed. "Our son has his own nurse."

Emily laughed. "Not a private nurse. I've got a couple of other babies to keep track of. When your little guy goes to the nursery or has to go in for a check, I'll be the one to take him."

"Until 7pm."

"Right. Then he will get a new nurse. So does he have a name?"

Tess and Don looked at each other. Don smiled at the nurse, eyes twinkling. "Well, we're still negotiating that one."

She smiled back. "You've still got time before the papers need to be filed." She carefully picked up the baby. "Are you ready to try nursing, Mrs. Flack?"

Tess colored slightly. "I..."

"I'll only bug you about it this first time. Just in case you need some help getting him to latch on." Emily passed Tess her son. Don moved toward the door.

"I'll..ah..be..."

Emily looked at him and raised and eyebrow. "You scared of seeing your wife's breast? Gonna run every time she feeds the baby?" Don stood there with his mouth hanging open. She turned back to Tess and worked on getting the baby to nurse. When all was settled she smiled. "I'll leave you guys alone." She left the room.

Don settled back into the chair. He watched Tess and the baby. Tess met his eyes and smiled. She brushed her fingers over the baby's head. Don grinned and shook his head.

"What?"

"Yer beautiful, ya know that?"

Tess laughed. The baby squirmed slightly and Tess shifted him a little. "Shhh. Sorry. Your daddy's just a little crazy. But you'll learn that soon enough." She smiled at Don. "So about his name. What do you think about Edmund?"

Don looked at the baby. His brows creased. "I dunno. He doesn't look much like an Eddie. How about Michael?"

Tess thought a bit. "Michael Flack isn't so bad. Mike Flack. Mikey Flack." She looked down at the baby. "I like Curtis."

Don guffawed. "I'll bet you do, but if ya think yer naming my kid after a Detroit Tiger..."

"It was just a suggestion," grinned Tess. "Gordon?"

"Now, yer just being silly. Ya think a Red Wing is a better choice? No, not Gordie either. What do ya think of James?"

Tess didn't answer. She shifted the baby and pulled her gown back up. She looked down at him, tracing her fingers over his cheek. "James Flack. Jimmy Flack." The baby opened his eyes. "Look he knows his name already." Don leaned in so his head touched Tess'. "James Donald Flack. We can call him J.D."

Don shook his head. "We said we wouldn't name him after me. James Daniel Flack."

"You're gonna give Danny a swelled head."

"Oh, I'm sure we can cut him back down to size."

"James Daniel Flack it is then."

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